CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Creative Industries Council

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport 
	(1)  on what dates the Creative Industries Council plans to meet;
	(2)  what matters will be on the agenda of the next meeting of the Creative Industries Council; and which Secretaries of State plan to attend;
	(3)  on how many occasions the Creative Industries Council is expected to meet between October 2011 and January 2012.

Edward Vaizey: The Creative Industries Council will meet once every six months between July 2011 and July 2012. The next meeting will take place on 24 January 2012, when the council will consider the findings and recommendations of the skills working group. That meeting will be attended by the council's co-chairs: the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, the right hon. Member for Twickenham (Vince Cable), and the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport, my right hon. Friend the Member for South West Surrey (Mr Hunt).

Creative Industries Council

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what the aims are of each group formed by the Creative Industries Council.

Edward Vaizey: At the first meeting of the council, members decided to take forward work on access to finance and skills through two time-limited working groups. Detailed objectives for the skills working group can be found via the Skillset website. The access to finance working group are considering evidence on access to finance issues in order to identify recommendations to tackle barriers to growth in this area.

Creative Industries Council

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many meetings he has had with the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills to discuss access to finance for businesses in the creative industries sector in the last 12 months; and whether an action plan was drawn up as a result of such meetings.

Edward Vaizey: The Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport, my right hon. Friend the Member for South West Surrey (Mr Hunt), has not met with the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, the right hon. Member for Twickenham (Vince Cable), specifically to discuss this issue. However, access to finance has been identified as a key barrier to growth by the Creative Industries Council and was discussed at the first meeting of the council. A working party has now been established under the council to take the issue forward, chaired by Ian Livingstone

Cultural Heritage: Children

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the cultural activities children are exposed to each week; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Vaizey: The Department assesses children's engagement with cultural activities using the Taking Part Survey. This is a large national survey of children aged five to 15 and adults aged 16+.
	In 2010-11, the majority of children (98.6%) had engaged with the arts, 71.6% had visited a heritage site, 75.6% had visited a library and 64.7% had been to a museum in the last 12 months. While the Taking Part Survey records weekly activity, these figures are not routinely published. The latest adult and child findings can be found at:
	http://www.culture.gov.uk/publications/8398.aspx

Departmental Meetings

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many meetings he has had with representatives of (a) social enterprises, (b) charities, (c) large private sector businesses and (d) small and medium-sized private sector businesses since May 2010; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Vaizey: The Department does not record meetings by the specific categories of organisation you have requested. However, we do publish meetings between Ministers and outside interest groups on the Departmental website at the following link:
	http://www.transparency.culture.gov.uk/category/financial/expenses-and-hospitality/
	This information is currently available from May 2010 to March 2011 and is published on a quarterly basis.

Public Libraries: Closures

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many libraries have (a) closed and (b) had their opening hours reduced in each local authority since May 2010.

Edward Vaizey: Robust data about the library sector are only published annually by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy and the initial release of provisional data for 2010-11 is to be published later this month. The Department supplements it by monitoring proposals about changes to library services across England through information gathered via correspondence, media coverage and from relevant bodies such as Arts Council England. Many local authorities are still developing and consulting on proposals and consequently the overall picture is always changing. It is therefore not practical to attempt to provide definitive numbers for libraries that have closed or have reduced their opening hours.

Social Media

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what social media outlets his Department operates.

Edward Vaizey: The Department operates on the following social media outlets; Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Flickr.

St George’s Day

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what support his Department gives to organisations celebrating St George’s Day.

John Penrose: The Department funds its arm’s length body English Heritage who marked St George’s day in 2011 with four separate events that were attended by around 16,000 visitors. This included the annual St George’s Festival at Wrest Park, which welcomed 8,500 visitors over three days. We anticipate a similar level of activity for 2012.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

Charity Commission: Independent Schools Council

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Attorney-General how many meetings (a) he and (b) officials in the Law Officers' departments have had with (i) the Charity Commission and (ii) the Independent Schools Council since May 2010; and if he will make a statement.

Dominic Grieve: I have not met with either the Charity Commission or the Independent Schools Council since May 2010. However, as Attorney-General I have a number of important public interest functions in respect of charity, some of which overlap with the regulatory powers of the Charity Commission. In consequence, officials from my office are in regular contact with officials from the Charity Commission. This is also true of those officials in the Treasury Solicitor's Department who provide my office with legal advice on policy and litigation support in charity matters. Those officials have not met with the Independent Schools Council.
	I am not aware of any meetings between the Charity Commission or the Independent Schools Council and officials of the Crown Prosecution Service, Serious Fraud Office or HM Crown Prosecution Inspectorate.
	A number of lawyers from the Treasury Solicitor's Department are permanently attached to other Government Departments including the Department for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport, Cabinet Office and the Department for Education. These Departments have dealings with the Charity Commission in its role as principal regulator of charities. The Department for Education also has dealings with the Independent Schools Council. I have not considered lawyers attached to these or other Departments as officials of the Law Officer Departments for the purposes of this answer.

Procurement

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Attorney-General how many meetings he has had with representatives of (a) social enterprises, (b) charities, (c) large private sector businesses and (d) small and medium-sized private sector businesses since May 2010; and if he will make a statement.

Dominic Grieve: I meet with a range of organisations and individuals in my ministerial role. Since May 2010 I have not had any meetings specifically with social enterprises or private sector businesses, but I have met with representatives from a number of charities both in my role as Government pro bono champion and as Attorney-General.

SCOTLAND

Departmental Allowances

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much members of his departmental management board have claimed in expenses since May 2010.

David Mundell: No member of the joint management board of the Scotland Office and Office of the Advocate-General has made any expense claims in relation to the work of the board since May 2010.

ELECTORAL COMMISSION COMMITTEE

Electoral Register

Chris Ruane: To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, if the Electoral Commission will place in the Library a copy of its most recent assessment of the effects of the Government's proposals on electoral registration on levels of registration.

Gary Streeter: The Electoral Commission informs me that it has now placed in the Library a copy of its formal response to the Government White Paper on individual electoral registration. In it the Commission sets out what it believes needs be done to ensure the completeness and accuracy of the electoral register is improved, and what the possible impact of certain aspects of the proposals might be on registration levels. The submission is also available on their website:
	www.electoralcommission.org.uk

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Adam Werritty

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether he has met Mr Adam Werritty in the course of his ministerial duties; and, if so, for what purpose.

Bob Neill: No.

Audit Commission

Steve Brine: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps he plans to take to increase the transparency of public body auditors under his proposed new local audit framework.

Bob Neill: Earlier this year we consulted on our proposals for the new local audit framework which included a number of proposals that will increase transparency, for example, increasing transparency in the way that auditors are appointed. We proposed that local public bodies would appoint their own auditors from a published register of eligible auditors, taking advice from an independent audit committee. The advice of that independent audit committee would be published (giving regard to commercially confidential material). If the local public body did not follow the independent audit committee's advice as to the auditor that should be appointed, it would be required to publish the reasons why it had departed from that advice. The consultation also included proposals around the transparency of the audit itself, for example continuing the requirements to publish accounts and auditors' reports.
	We are currently considering the responses to the consultation and will publish our response later this year.

Council Tax

David Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the level of funding available for local authorities from rateable values arising from the decision to freeze council tax for 2012-13 given an inflation rate of four per cent.; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Neill: No such estimate has been made.

Departmental Buildings

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what (a) building and (b) refurbishment projects his Department plans in (i) the current and (ii) the next financial year; and what the cost of each such project will be.

Bob Neill: DCLG's estates strategy has seen a significant reduction in the size and cost of the DCLG estate. To build on our achievements over the last year the Department plans to consolidate its operations in Eland House. The project will further improve the Department's space efficiency and will ‘free up’ further space that can be sub-let, generating income from additional tenancy receipts. The first phase of this project has commenced and will deliver DCLG further tenancy receipts of £1 million per annum from the end of financial year 2012-13. This part of the project is anticipated to cost £75,000.
	Over the first half of financial year 2011-12 DCLG was responsible for a series of projects relating to the closure of the Government office for the regions and the regional development agencies.
	All but one of these were purely staff moves into:
	(a) existing DCLG accommodation making use of existing surplus space from the abolition of the Government office for the regions.
	(b) more efficient and right-sized civil-estate accommodation for smaller teams in existing DCLG locations where lease-break opportunities enabled the surrender of larger, less flexible and more expensive ex-Government office for the regions estate.
	(c) new DCLG occupations in Sheffield, Truro and Exeter to meet the specific business-needs of the European Regional Development Fund teams in these locations. All three are existing buildings on the civil estate and Sheffield and Exeter were purely staff-moves into 'as is' accommodation.
	The new DCLG office at Lysnoweth House, Truro was the only one of these relocations that required ‘fit out’ work which was done in partnership with Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs at a cost of £47,000 with all furniture reused from elsewhere in the DCLG estate.
	No other building and refurbishment projects are currently planned in this or financial-year 2012-13.
	Note
	Achieving these relocations in Manchester in April 2011, Nottingham July 2011 and Liverpool September 2011 cost DCLG circa £120,000 to complete, but will realise savings of circa £3 million per annum from the start of financial year 2012-13.

Departmental Fines

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many transport-related fines his Department has settled on behalf of its staff; and at what cost in each year since 2007.

Bob Neill: It is DCLG policy that staff are personally liable for any transport fines. Therefore since 2007 the Department should not have settled any of these fines and there is no identifiable information in our records that indicate any fines have been met by the Department.

Departmental Land

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the monetary value of the maintenance backlog on his Department's estate in each of the last five years; and what estimate he has made of the time required to complete such maintenance.

Bob Neill: The Department for Communities and Local Government has both planned and reactive maintenance arrangements in place across its estate to ensure that the Department does not have a backlog of maintenance.
	The DCLG estate is maintained to ensure that it fulfils its leasehold, statutory and sustainable operations obligations. DCLG monitors supplier adherence to contractual obligations through active contract management and through service level agreement and key performance indicator reporting.

Empty Property: Non-domestic Rates

Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment he has made of the effects of ending business rate relief for empty properties on private landlords in the commercial property sector.

Bob Neill: I refer my hon. Friend to the answers I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for York Outer (Julian Sturdy) on 26 January 2011, Official Report, column 2MC, and to my hon. Friend the Member for Newark (Patrick Mercer) on 8 February 2011, Official Report, column 178W.

Empty Property: Non-domestic Rates

Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what discussions he has had with representatives of the commercial property sector on business rates on empty properties.

Bob Neill: I refer my hon. Friend my answer of 9 June 2011, Official Report, column 452W. In addition, details of ministerial meetings with external organisations can be found on my Department's website.

Empty Property

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will estimate the number of empty properties owned by businesses of each size in (a) Witham constituency, (b) Essex and (c) England.

Bob Neill: The Department does not collect information on the number of empty properties split by business size in (a) Witham constituency, (b) Essex and (c) England.

Empty Property

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many businesses are paying business rates on empty properties in each planning control class of use categorisation in (a)  Witham constituency, (b) Essex and (c) England; and what estimate he has made of the sums collected in such rates in the latest period for which figures are available.

Bob Neill: The Department does not collect data on the amount collected from businesses paying business rates on empty properties. Data are not available at constituency level or split by class of planning use categorisation.
	The total estimated number of empty hereditaments as at 31 March 2010, split by local authority, is available on the Department for Communities and Local Government website:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/statistics/xls/1972201.xls
	In addition to this, the number of hereditaments in receipt of empty property relief in England for 2011-12 is available on the Department for Communities and Local Government website:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/corporate/statistics/nondomesticrates201112f
	From these figures a broad estimate of businesses paying business rates on empty properties can be inferred as shown in the following table:
	
		
			 Inferred estimate of businesses paying business rates on empty properties 
			  Number of hereditaments in receipt of empty property relief as at 31 December 2010 Estimated number of empty properties as at 31 March 2011 Inferred estimate of businesses paying business rates on empty properties 
			 Essex—shire districts only 3,884 5,686 1,800 
			 Essex—including unitary authorities Southend-on-Sea and Thurrock 4,766 6,844 2,100 
			     
			 England 220,631 268,990 48,300 
			 Note: The number of hereditaments in receipt of empty property relief and the estimated number of empty properties are taken from different time periods Source: NNDR1 (Supplementary) Form2011-12; NNDR3 Form 2010-11 
		
	
	The data are as reported to the Department for Communities and Local Government by all billing authorities in England on National Non-Domestic Rates (NNDR3) and NNDR1 (Supplementary) forms.

Government Procurement Card

Charlie Elphicke: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the (a) date of purchase, (b) gross amount and (c) supplier was in respect of each transaction undertaken by the Audit Commission using the Government Procurement Card since April 2011.

Bob Neill: This is an operational matter for the Audit Commission and I have asked the chief executive of the Audit Commission to write to my hon. Friend direct.
	Letter from Andy McKeon, dated 20 October 2011
	Your Parliamentary Question has been passed to me to reply in the absence of the Chief Executive, who is on leave.
	The transaction details requested, concerning the Commission's use of GPC cards, are only currently available relating to statement date from April-August 2011. This information is shown in the attached appendix. Where an entry is marked in red and is a minus figure, this indicates a credit.
	A copy of the appendix will be placed in the Library of the House.

Local Government: Bank Services

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  what steps he is taking to support English local authorities owed money by Icelandic institutions;
	(2)  what assistance he is providing to English local authorities in their attempts to retrieve money invested in Icelandic institutions.

Bob Neill: Local authorities are receiving repayments from the two Icelandic banks in administration in the UK (Heritable and Kaupthing, Singer and Friedlander). For the two failed banks in administration in Iceland, Glitnir and Landsbanki, authorities are directly represented on the Resolution Committees, and are awaiting the decision of the Icelandic Supreme Court on priority status.

Local Government: Pensions

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent estimate he has made of the number of local government employees likely to leave the local government pension scheme if the level of contributions is increased.

Bob Neill: Because the local government pension scheme is funded, it has been possible to design a scheme-specific approach to securing savings by 2014-15 to protect membership levels. A current statutory consultation exercise proposes increases in contribution tariffs in England and Wales involving either a 1% increase, or a 1.5% increase phased in over a three year period, commencing in April 2012, plus accrual rate adjustments for either one or two years.
	The terms of the options set out in the consultation proposals, issued on 7 October, specifically reflect the occupational and pay characteristics of the local government workforce and so provide total protection for all members earning less than £15,000, partial protection for those earning up to £21,000 and sets an overall limit of 6% on any increase in contributions.

Non-domestic Rates

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  what his Department's policy is on the use of the yield from business rates in an area as a general measure of that area's economic (a) growth needs and (b) performance;
	(2)  what his Department’s policy is on the yield of business rates paid by businesses in an area being used as a general measure for that area's economic growth needs and economic performance.

Bob Neill: holding answer s 13 and  17 October 2011
	The Department does not currently use business rate yield as a measurement in this context.
	In relation to our proposals for the local retention of business rates, I would refer the hon. Member to the Technical Paper 5 on my Department's website on tariff, top-up and levy options:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/localgovernment/pdf/19695901.pdf

Non-domestic Rates: Durham

Pat Glass: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to his oral statement of 18 July 2011, Official Report, columns 662-4, on local government finance, what modelling his Department has carried out on the likely change to Durham county council's budget under his proposed scheme for localisation of business rates in each of the next five years.

Bob Neill: The impact of the Government's proposals will depend on a range of factors, including future business rates growth at the local level, the behavioural response to the changes, and the final design of the scheme following consultation. The Government have sought views on its proposals and, on 19 August, published eight technical papers which provide further details on the proposals, together with an interactive calculator. The calculator enables users to explore the possible effects of certain scheme design options based upon their own assumptions about local circumstances.
	The proposals incorporate a range of protections to ensure councils can meet local needs, including a safety net for places in need of additional support, funded by a levy covering a share of disproportionate gain.

Non-domestic Rates: Durham

Pat Glass: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what correspondence he has had with Durham county council on the effects of his proposed scheme for localisation of business rates.

Bob Neill: The Department has not had any correspondence with Durham county council on the effects of the proposed scheme for the local retention of business rates.

Procurement

Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what progress his Department has made in eliminating pre-qualification questionnaires for procurements with a value of under £100,000.

Bob Neill: The Department has eliminated all pre-qualification questionnaires for procurements with a value of under £100,000 since July 2011.

Redundancy

Jack Dromey: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many local authorities have applied for capitalisation directives for redundancy payments; and how much each local authority has applied for.

Bob Neill: The Government understand that councils will have had to make tough decisions on where they will make savings to help pay off the last Government's budget deficit. The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, my right hon. Friend the Member for Brentwood and Ongar (Mr Pickles), has been clear that councils should explore all avenues to achieving savings including reducing senior salaries, joining forces to share back office staff and spending smarter.
	In relation to requests to capitalise redundancy costs, 54 authorities made requests in the main 2011-12 process. Information on the amounts applied for by each authority is available on the Department's website at:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/localgovernment/xls/19511381.xls

WALES

Departmental Re-location

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many civil servants in her Department have been (a) relocated and (b) agreed to relocation in the last 12 months; and to which areas of the UK.

David Jones: No staff have been relocated in the last 12 months.

Departmental Pay

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if she will estimate the total monetary value of London weightings and London living allowances for staff in her Department.

David Jones: Wales Office staff are employed either by the Ministry of Justice or the Welsh Government; neither of which offer London weighting or London living allowances.

Procurement

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales 
	(1)  how many contracts her Department has awarded directly to third sector organisations in each month since May 2010; what the value was of such contracts; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  how many contracts her Department has advertised on the Contracts Finder website in each month since May 2010; what the value was of such contracts; what proportion were awarded to (a) third sector organisations and (b) small businesses; and if she will make a statement.

David Jones: None. The Wales Office uses contracts awarded by larger Departments—such as the Ministry of Justice—to maximise buying power and value for money.

Procurement

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many contracts her Department has awarded directly to (a) small, (b) medium-sized and (c) large businesses in each month since May 2010; what the value was of such contracts; and if she will make a statement.

David Jones: The Wales Office has not awarded any new contracts since May 2010.
	The Wales Office uses contracts awarded by larger Departments—such as the Ministry of Justice—to maximise buying power and value for money.

Cyber-Security

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what steps her Department is taking to improve cyber-security in relation to her Department's estate; and if she will make a statement.

David Jones: The Government take cyber-security very seriously and it has been categorised as a tier one threat to UK national security. £650 million is being invested over the next four years in a National Cyber- Security Programme, working across Departments, with the private sector, international partners and citizens to improve the UK's cyber-security capability.
	The Wales Office, as a small Department, obtains its IT services from the Ministry of Justice. The Ministry routinely assesses the prevailing threats to its ICT systems and applies appropriate and proportionate measures in accordance with the Government standards set out in the Cabinet Office's Security Policy Framework (SPF); these standards are aligned with industry best practice approaches.
	It is not in the interest of national security to make public details of particular improvements in relation to individual Departments as it may expose vulnerabilities to those who may seek to exploit them.

TRANSPORT

Crossrail

Michael Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment her Department has made of the cost of ensuring that Crossrail is compliant with the Railway (Interoperability) Regulations 2006.

Theresa Villiers: The Crossrail project is being delivered by Crossrail Ltd on behalf of the Department and its co-sponsor, Transport for London. Crossrail Ltd's cost and risk assessments take account of all of its legal obligations, including compliance with the Railway (Interoperability) Regulations 2006.

Cycling: Accidents

Simon Hart: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate her Department has made of the number of traffic accidents involving cyclists (a) wearing and (b) not wearing high-visibility clothing in the latest period for which figures are available.

Michael Penning: In 2010, there were 17,604 reported personal injury road accidents involving at least one pedal cyclist in Great Britain. The number of these accidents involving cyclists wearing or not wearing high-visibility clothing is not collected.
	However, under the STATS19 system, the Department collects information on reported injury road accidents where ‘cyclist wearing dark clothing at night’ was reported as a contributory factor to the accident by the attending police officer. The number of personal injury road accidents with this contributory factor for 2010 in Great Britain can be found in Table RAS50001 (Contributory factor article) of Reported Road Casualties in Great Britain: 2010. A copy of this table can be found using the following link:
	http://assets.dft.gov.uk/statistics/tables/ras50001.xls
	Please note that contributory factors are reported only for injury road accidents where a police officer attended the scene and reported at least one contributory factor. These factors are largely subjective, reflecting the attending officer's opinion at the time of reporting. It is recognised that subsequent inquires could lead to the reporting officer changing his/her opinion.
	It is important to note that it may be difficult for a police officer, attending the scene after an accident has occurred, to identify certain contributory factors.

Official Hospitality

Julie Hilling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much her Department has spent on hospitality for staff since May 2010.

Norman Baker: holding answer 19 July 2011
	The departmental policy is not to provide hospitality for staff, including refreshments at staff meetings or staff working lunches. Refreshments are provided exceptionally for meetings with external visitors.
	The Department is unable to provide information on how much has been spent incidentally on hospitality for staff since May 2010, as the data is not collected at this level of detail. It is not required for our statutory reporting and it could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Pay

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will estimate the total monetary value of London weightings and London living allowances for staff in her Department.

Norman Baker: The Department for Transport was formed in 2002 and consists of a central Department and seven executive agencies as follows:
	Highways Agency (HA)
	Driver Standards Agency (DSA)
	Driver Vehicle and Licensing Agency (DVLA)
	Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA)
	Vehicle Operator Services Agency (VOSA)
	Vehicle Certification Agency (VCA)
	Government Car and Dispatch Agency (GCDA)
	The estimated total monetary value of London weightings and London living allowances for staff in the Department for Transport is £1.67 million.

Cyber-Security

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps her Department is taking to improve cyber-security in relation to her Department's estate; and if she will make a statement.

Norman Baker: The Government take cyber security very seriously and this issue has been categorised as a tier one threat to UK national security. £650 million is being invested over the next four years in a National Cyber-Security programme, working across Departments, with the private sector, international partners and others to improve the UK's cyber security capability.
	The Department for Transport routinely assesses the prevailing threats to its ICT systems and applies appropriate and proportionate measures in accordance with the Government standards set out in the Cabinet Office's Security Policy Framework (SPF). These standards are aligned with industry best practice approaches.
	As I am sure the hon. Member will recognise, it is not in the interest of national security to make public details of particular improvements in relation to individual Departments as it may expose vulnerabilities to those who may seek to exploit them.

Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent representations she has received on the future of local DVLA offices; and if she will make a statement.

Michael Penning: holding answer 12 October 2011
	Since 1 June, the Department has received 11 letters concerning the future of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency's local offices.
	No decisions on the way forward have yet been taken. Any proposals involving changes to the way face to face services are operated would be the subject of discussion with stakeholders.

Driving under Influence: Drugs

Jo Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps she is taking to raise awareness of the dangers of driving under the influence of drugs.

Michael Penning: The Department has run a number of campaigns on the dangers of drug driving in the past and is currently developing its future marketing plans. As part of the THINK! road safety campaign, there is a website at:
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/think/drugdrive/
	which raises awareness of the dangers of driving under the influence of drugs including legal and personal consequences, as well as how drugs impair driving. Communication materials can be downloaded from the website or ordered separately for use by road safety professionals and teachers.

Driving under Influence: Drugs

Jo Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what representations she has received on proposals to (a) introduce roadside drug testing devices and (b) increase sentences on people found guilty of driving whilst under the influence of drugs;
	(2)  if she will meet the family of Lillian Groves to discuss their campaign to introduce roadside drug testing devices and increase sentences on people found guilty of driving whilst under the influence of drugs.

Michael Penning: The Secretary of State for Transport, my right hon. Friend the Member for Putney (Justine Greening), has not received any representations related to drug driving. I have received a number of representations on proposals to introducing drink and drug testing devices. The Government in their response to the North review committed to introduce a range of measures to combat drug driving including approving preliminary drug testing equipment initially in the police station and at the roadside as soon as possible.
	I will be happy to meet the family of Lillian Groves, to discuss their proposals.

Driving: Licensing

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many reviews of a driver's licence were initiated by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency due to receiving information from a third party concerning a present licence holder's competence.

Michael Penning: The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency acts on third party notifications when a person's ability to drive safely has been called into question due to a medical condition. The latest figures available show that, in 2010, the DVLA carried out investigations into 10,740 drivers' records as a result of receiving such notifications.

Motorways: Speed Limits

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment she has made of the potential effects of the proposed increase in the motorway speed limit on the level of (a) slight injuries, (b) serious injuries and (c) fatalities occurring as a result of accidents on motorways.

Michael Penning: The potential effects on casualties will be included in the assessment of all the principal effects of raising the national speed limit on motorways and we will include the figures as part of the documentation for the consultation planned for later this year.

Roads: Accidents

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will visit an accident and emergency department to discuss with medical staff the extent of injuries caused in crashes involving vehicles driven at speed.

Michael Penning: I am well aware of the extent of injuries that can occur. The Department for Transport is committed to a raft of measures to improve road safety, which are set out in the framework published in May 2011: our vision is to ensure that Britain remains a world leader on road safety.

Roads: Accidents

Steven Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions she has had with her EU counterparts on the (a) cost and (b) effect on privacy and liberty of the European Commission's recent recommendation on eCall.

Michael Penning: There have been no recent discussions between the Secretary of State for Transport, my hon. Friend the Member for Putney (Justine Greening) and her EU counterparts on the European Commission's recent Recommendation on eCall.
	An Explanatory Memorandum on the Commission's Recommendation on eCall was laid before Parliament on 28 September.

Roads: Safety

Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what contribution she expects the UK to make to the UN Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020; and if she will make a statement.

Michael Penning: The UK's contribution to the UN Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-20 was set out in the Strategic Framework for Road Safety launched on 11 May 2011 as part of our launch of the Decade of Action. The UK is a world leader in road safety and the framework and associated actions demonstrate our commitment to contribute to the further reduction in road deaths envisaged globally by the UN.

Third Sector

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much direct funding her Department has allocated to each civil society organisation in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12, (c) 2012-13, (d) 2013-14 and (e) 2014-15; and if she will make a statement.

Norman Baker: I am afraid that the information requested is not available other than at disproportionate cost.

Trams: Edinburgh

Lindsay Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when she last met the Scottish First Minister to discuss the Edinburgh tram project.

Norman Baker: holding answer 17 October 2011
	The Edinburgh tram project is a devolved matter for the Scottish Government. The Secretary of State for Transport, the right hon. Member for Putney (Justine Greening), has not met the Scottish First Minister to discuss this project.

DEFENCE

Army Cadet Force: Kent

Michael Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  how many cadets were enrolled in the Kent Army Cadet Force in each of the last five years;
	(2)  how much funding per cadet his Department provided to the Kent Army Cadet Force in each of the last five years.

Andrew Robathan: The number of cadets who have enrolled annually in and the total number of cadets, based on a snapshot position as at 1 September 2011, who were members of the Kent Army Cadet Force (ACF) in each of the last five calendar years are shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Number enrolled annually Total number of cadets as at 1 September 2011 
			 2006 192 1,043 
			 2007 278 1,034 
			 2008 337 919 
			 2009 220 1,060 
			 2010 280 1,013 
		
	
	Details of the funding provided to the Kent ACF from the Ministry of Defence over the past five financial years are shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Funding (£) 
			 2007-08 455,839.08 
			 2008-09 554,904.00 
			 2009-10 442,750.00 
			 2010-11 379,555.00 
			 2011 (to date) 80,776.00 
		
	
	These figures represent funding for cadet activities such as ammunition, rations, transport, paid training days and travel and subsistence. This does not cover the cost of salaries and pensions of permanent staff employed in the ACF, nor other support costs, such as buildings maintenance, which are accounted for centrally.

Departmental Manpower

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  how many military assistants his Department has employed in each year since 2004;
	(2)  how much each military assistant received in salaries and benefits in each year since 2004.

Andrew Robathan: holding answer 18 October 2011
	Historical data on the number of military assistants (MAs) employed are not available without incurring disproportionate cost as this would require an interrogation of individual records. However, there are 119 MAs, or equivalent, currently in post working to personnel at two star level or above.
	The salary paid to individual MAs cannot be provided without an interrogation of individual records which would incur disproportionate cost. Every individual is paid in respect of their rank but also in respect of their seniority, personal skills and training which would require each individual's salary to be researched. There are no payable benefits open to MAs or the equivalent, although some personnel may accrue allowances due to their personal circumstances or trade/specialty. However the current salary ranges for those ranks who undertake MA roles are given in the following table as an indication of salaries received.
	
		
			 £ 
			 Rank Minimum Maximum 
			 Officer Level   
			 OF 6—Cdre/Brig/Air Cdre 97,030.20 100,963.56 
			 OF5—Capt/Col/Gp Capt 81,310.44 89,408.28 
			 OF4—Cdr/LtCol/WgCdr 67,031.64 77,617.20 
			 OF3—Lt Cdr/Maj/Sqn Ldr 47,760.48 57,199.56 
			 OF2—Lt/Capt/Flt Lt 37,915.92 45,090.48

Procurement

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many contracts his Department has awarded directly to (a) small, (b) medium-sized and (c) large businesses in each month since May 2010; what the value was of such contracts; and if he will make a statement.

Peter Luff: The Government values the flexibility, responsiveness and innovation that small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) bring and are taking action to increase the opportunities for such businesses to bid for Defence contracts.
	The Ministry of Defence (MOD)'s contract records distinguish between SMEs—as defined by the European Commission—and larger enterprises, but not between the individual categories of ‘small' and ‘medium' sized enterprises. Also, our assessments of the number and value of contracts with SMEs are carried out annually and relate to periods running to the end of March. Monthly analysis separately distinguishing the three categories could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	During the 12 months to the end of March 2011, the MOD awarded approximately 2,500 direct contracts to SMEs, with a total value in the region of £950 million. We estimate that, in the same period, approximately 3,550 direct contracts were awarded to large businesses, with a total value of approximately £6,280 million—values are rounded to the nearest £10 million.
	These figures, produced by a sampling exercise, relate to contracts administered through our central system which excludes purchases made through the Government procurement card and miscellaneous transactions. It is important to emphasise that they also exclude subcontracts placed with SMEs by our prime contractors and their supply chains, which are extensive and include a high proportion of SMEs.

Libya: Armed Conflict

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many fire missions have been undertaken by Royal Navy warships against Libya land maritime targets in Operation Ellamy to date; and how many of these targets were (a) detected and (b) fire adjusted onto target by (i) United States Navy P-3 Orion aircraft, (ii) Canadian P-140 and (iii) US Unmanned Aerial Vehicles.

Nick Harvey: From the beginning of the current operations in Libya up to 6 October 2011, the Royal Navy has undertaken naval gunfire support on 17 occasions.
	UK Forces are operating as part of a NATO operation. As part of this multilateral mission individual nations have provided various capabilities requested by NATO. Therefore is it entirely appropriate that nations will co-operate when undertaking these operations.
	I am withholding the information on which capabilities have provided assistance to naval gunfire support missions as their disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the armed forces.

NATO

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps his Department is taking to learn lessons from Operation Unified Protector (a) in general and (b) in relation to the capacity of the UK and other European NATO members to provide (i) air-to-air refuelling, (ii) intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft and (iii) sufficient stocks of precision-guided missiles.

Nick Harvey: The National Security Council is conducting a cross-Whitehall Lessons Identified exercise into operations in Libya. The Ministry of Defence routinely conducts lessons learned exercises as part of military operations. The lessons learned process for Operation Unified Protector will cover each of the areas mentioned.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Marine Pollution

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will discuss with her New Zealand counterpart the likely environmental effects of the recent accident near the Astrolabe Reef involving a Liberian-flagged ship.

Richard Benyon: DEFRA's role in responding to marine pollution emergencies is described in the National Contingency Plan for Marine Pollution from Shipping and Offshore Installations, which is maintained by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency. Responses to maritime incidents need to be proportionate. Regional or national responses to maritime incidents involve the establishment of an Environment Group, which advises on environmental impacts and may initiate the collection of real time environmental data. If a marine pollution incident is expected to have a significant impact on the marine environment or the shoreline, arrangements are made to monitor and assess the impact in the longer term.
	Since the New Zealand oil spill does not affect UK shorelines and the cargo vessel involved is not UK registered, we have no plans at this stage to intervene.

Procurement

Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what progress her Department has made in eliminating pre-qualification questionnaires for procurements with a value of under £100,000.

Richard Benyon: The Department does not use pre-qualification questionnaires for tenders under the OJEU threshold (£100,000).
	Additional statement follows from CEFAS :
	“Since the forming of the Coalition Government and the planned reduction in PQQ's for requirements under £100k, Cefas have not issued any PQQ's. To further support this reduction in PQQ's, Cefas utilises wherever possible existing Government frameworks for its requirements under (and over) £100k.”

Fisheries

Fiona O'Donnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions she has had with representatives of the Scottish fishing industry.

Richard Benyon: Most recently, I met with representatives of the Scottish Fishermen's Federation to discuss a range of issues including Common Fisheries Policy reform and the forthcoming negotiations for 2012 total allowable catches. In my role as UK Fisheries Minister, I am committed to ensuring that Scottish fishing interests are taken into account and that any decisions affecting the fishing industry balance the interests of the UK as a whole.

National Park Authorities

Angela Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  who will be responsible for funding the pilot project for direct elections of representatives to the Peak District National Park Authority;
	(2)  what criteria were used to select the Peak District National Park as the pilot for the direct election of representatives to National Park Authorities.

Richard Benyon: DEFRA officials are consulting with both the Peak District and New Forest National Park Authorities on the procedural arrangements for direct elections, including the costs.
	In its response to the public consultation, the New Forest National Park Authority has indicated willingness to trial direct elections. In order to test the concept properly, the Government felt it was important to run the trial in at least two areas and the Peak District has characteristics that the New Forest lacks. These include the fact that it is a long established National Park with a larger membership and a greater number of, and more complex, local government structures.

National Watersure Scheme

Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she expects to make an announcement on funding for the National Watersure scheme.

Richard Benyon: In the 2011 Budget the Government committed public expenditure to supporting households that face water affordability pressures and households in areas with particularly high water charges. We are currently finalising the decision on how best to meet this commitment. Our consultation on affordability closed in June and we are reviewing responses, which will inform the content of the Water White Paper, to be published shortly. We will be setting out the way forward on Watersure and general affordability issues later this year.

Natural Gas

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will direct the Environment Agency to consider the implications of the (a) geology and (b) redundant mine-workings of the South Wales coalfields for shale gas exploration and hydraulic fracturing before the grant of any licence for exploitation or exploration.

Richard Benyon: This is a devolved issue. It is for the Welsh Assembly Government to direct Environment Agency Wales on the points raised.

Whales: Imports

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what representations she has made to the government of Iceland on the import of whale products into the UK;
	(2)  what evidence she has received of the import of illegal food products including whale meat and whale fins from Iceland.

Richard Benyon: The UK firmly supports the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) restrictions on international trade in whale meat and whale products. In the EU, we prohibit international trade in all whale meat and products apart from in exceptional circumstances.
	I am not aware of any evidence of imports of such food products to the UK.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Asylum

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent assessment her Department has made of the effects of experiencing an extended period outside the labour market on the long-term integration into UK society of asylum seekers; and if she will make a statement.

Damian Green: None. We do not believe that asylum seekers should have access to the labour market as it would become a pull factor and encourage more applications in the UK. The exception is when asylum seekers have waited for more than 12 months for an initial decision on their application, when they can seek permission to work, in line with the recent court ruling.

Civil Disorder

Karen Lumley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps her Department plans to take to ensure that police are able to deal with serious public order offences in the future.

Nick Herbert: The Government will always ensure that police have the tools and powers that they need to maintain order on our streets and discussions are taking place with chief constables on an ongoing basis. The Prime Minister has already announced that extra powers will be given to police regarding the removal of face coverings and the Secretary of State for the Home Department, my right hon. Friend the Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May), has asked Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) to look at the disorder, and for its findings to inform and support police guidance, tactics and public order policing resources. In addition the Home Office will be looking into whether curfew powers need to be extended.
	There is significant evidence that social media played a part in the recent riots in London and other English cities. The Secretary of State has met with the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO), the Metropolitan police and social media industry representatives to consider whether and how they can stop people communicating via these websites and services when it is known that they are plotting violence, disorder and criminality. They also considered what action can be taken to prevent access to those services by customers identified as perpetrators of disorder or other criminal action. The Home Office will continue to take this work forward in partnership with the police and social media industry.

Crime: Victims

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of victims of crime who have reported crimes to the police have been kept informed of the progress of the police investigation in each of the last two years.

Nick Herbert: The latest available information comes from the British Crime Survey (BCS) and relates to 2008-09. BCS interviews for 2008-09 show that 55% of victims of crime said that they had been kept well informed of the progress of the police investigation.

Departmental Fines

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many transport-related fines her Department has settled on behalf of its staff; and at what cost in each year since 2007.

Damian Green: Neither the Home Office nor the UK Borders Agency meets the costs of traffic fines as these are considered the personal liability of the member of staff who incurred them.
	The Identity and Passport Service incurred seven fixed penalty notices (parking fines) in the last five years at a total cost of £400. Two were incurred in 2007-08 at a cost of £120, three in 2008-09 at a cost of £180 and two in 2010-11 at a cost of £100.
	These fines were incurred by individuals in the course of their official duties, providing a visa delivery/collection service to embassies within central London.
	The Criminal Records Bureau have not owned or operated any vehicles in the last five years and have therefore not incurred any such costs.

Training

Stephen McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what training (a) she and (b) other Ministers in her Department have undertaken since 12 May 2010.

Damian Green: holding answer 19 July 2011
	Home Office Ministers have undertaken the following training since May 2010:
	Home Secretary
	No training
	Baroness Browning
	Finance workshop
	Ministerial learning and development induction workshop
	Nick Herbert
	Ministerial learning and development induction workshop
	Damian Green
	Ministerial learning and development induction workshop
	James Brokenshire
	Bill training
	Select Committee training
	Lynne Featherstone
	Ministerial learning and development induction workshop
	Media and presentation training.

Departmental Travel

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much her Department has spent on first class travel by (a) air, (b) boat and (c) train since May 2010.

Damian Green: The table gives the Home Office (including all agencies) spend on first class travel since May 2010. All figures are shown to the nearest £1,000.
	Differentiations in class of travel by boat are not recorded within Home Office Management Information.
	Since May 2010 the Home Office (including all agencies) has spent the following on first class travel:
	
		
			  £ 
			 (a) Air 0 
			 (b) Boat n/a 
			 (c) Train 51,000 
			 Note: All figures are shown to the nearest £000.

Economic Crime Unit

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which police forces in England and Wales (a) had a specialist Economic Crime Unit in March 2010 and (b) are expected to have a specialist Economic Crime Unit in March 2012.

Nick Herbert: It is for chief constables and police authorities to decide how to allocate resources within their police forces to ensure that they have the capacity and capability to investigate economic crime. If required they also have access to specialist regional resources for support on all types of serious and organised crime.
	The Home Office continues to fund the City of London police with £5.1 million in 2012-13 to act as the lead force for tackling economic crime and to operate the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau which collates and distributes intelligence on economic crime to all police forces.
	We have set out how we will increase the ability to tackle economic crime with the creation of the Economic Crime Command in the National Crime Agency which will;
	improve the sharing and use of intelligence about economic crime;
	increase the capacity and effectiveness of the law enforcement response; and
	increase activity on prevention, including using intelligence and information to provide real-time advice on how businesses and individuals can protect themselves.
	Ahead of the Economic Crime Command being established, the Economic Crime Coordination Board, which is now in place, will drive forward improvements in how economic crime is tackled in the UK.

Firearms

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps her Department is taking to reduce the availability of illegal firearms.

Nick Herbert: The UK has some of the toughest firearms laws in the world. As we set out in the Government's response to the Home Affairs Committee report on Firearms Control, published on 29 September 2011, we are currently considering whether it is necessary and proportionate to tighten the legislation still further in respect of the criminal supply and importation of firearms.

Illegal Immigrants

Charlie Elphicke: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many non-UK citizens attempting to enter the UK illegally or clandestinely were apprehended at (a) the Port of Dover and (b) the Port of Calais in (i) 2008-09, (ii) 2009-10 and (iii) 2010-11.

Damian Green: The number of non-UK citizens apprehended by the UK Border Agency and its French counterparts attempting to enter the UK illegally at Calais, and the numbers of interceptions at the port of Dover, for the specified years are as follows:
	
		
			 Detections 
			  2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 
			 Calais 21,881 13,847 5,345 
			 Dover(1) 554 383 328 
			 (1 )Supplied by Local Immigration Team Kent, Immigration Group. Note: Locally collated management information statistics subject to the national protocol.

Illegal Immigrants: Employment

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many foreign nationals were found to be working illegally in Birmingham Ladywood constituency in the last 12 months for which figures are available; and what steps her Department has taken in respect of such findings.

Damian Green: The records kept by the UK Border Agency show that during illegal working visits in the UK from September 2010 to August 2011 18,329 individuals were encountered. This figure includes those arrested. It is not possible to disaggregate these figures by constituency or county without incurring a disproportionate cost.
	Where individuals are found to be working illegally a decision on any further action is made on a case by case basis. A civil penalty of up to £10,000 per illegal worker may be imposed on employers found to be employing illegal workers.
	The figures provided are sourced from management information tools; they are not quality assured under National Statistics protocols and are subject to change.

Immigration

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills on skills training for the UK workforce to meet future business demands which may arise from a reduction in immigration.

Damian Green: This subject is a key part of the Government's proposals for reducing net migration. The Secretary of State for the Home Department, my right hon. Friend the Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May), meets regularly with the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, the right hon. Member for Twickenham (Vince Cable), as do I with other Ministers in his Department. This subject has also been discussed at Cabinet level and other cross-Whitehall Ministerial meetings.

Ministry of Defence Police and Guarding Agency

Julian Sturdy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether she has considered requesting that the Ministry of Defence Police should be deployed to support the territorial police forces.

Nick Herbert: The Ministry of Defence Police routinely provides security for key defence sites.
	Protocols are in place between the Ministry of Defence Police and the police forces in England and Wales to support their operations, where Defence security priorities allow. The Ministry of Defence Police provides mutual aid to local police forces, particularly on specific police service operations, such as riots and demonstrations. For example, it provided mutual aid in London and York during the recent public disorder.

Offensive Weapons: Sales

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent discussions she has had with representatives of business regarding the sale of knives.

Nick Herbert: The Secretary of State for the Home Department, the right hon. Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May), has not had any recent discussions with representatives of retail businesses on the sale of knives. However, we expect all retailers to provide appropriate training and support to staff on the sale of knives and to clearly display to the public signs stating that knives are not for sale to people under the age of 18.

Police

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether she plans to bring forward legislative proposals to amend the law following the outcome of DPP v Oram to ensure respect for police officers acting in the course of their duty.

Nick Herbert: holding answer 17 October 2011
	The Government have launched a consultation which is seeking views on whether section 5 of the Public Order Act 1986 should be amended.

Police Federation of England and Wales

Julian Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she last met the Chairman of the Police Federation of England and Wales.

Nick Herbert: The Secretary of State for the Home Department, my right hon. Friend the Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May), last met the Chairman of the Police Federation of England and Wales on 10 October 2011.

Police Federation of England and Wales: Civil Disorder

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many representations she received from the Police Federation on the risk of public disorder occurring in the last 12 months.

Nick Herbert: The Home Office has regular discussions with the Police Federation on a wide range of issues.

Police: Manpower

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers there were in each police authority area on the latest date for which figures are available; and how many of these in each area have had MAST public order training to each level.

Nick Herbert: holding answer 17 October 2011
	The available information shows the number of police officers in England and Wales, by police force area as at 31 March 2011 (full-time equivalent). This is shown in the following table.
	Information on the number of police officers who have received MAST public order training to each level is not collected centrally by the Home Office. Decisions on MAST training are for chief constables to take locally in conjunction with their police authority and, from November 2012, their elected police and crime commissioners (PCCs).
	
		
			 Police officer strength in England and Wales by police force area on 31 March 2011 
			 Police force All officers (FTE) (1) 
			 Avon and Somerset 3,210 
			 Bedfordshire 1,214 
			 Cambridgeshire 1,398 
			 Cheshire 2,079 
			 Cleveland 1,655 
			 Cumbria 1,180 
			 Derbyshire 2,021 
			 Devon and Cornwall 3,436 
			 Dorset 1,452 
			 Durham 1,431 
			 Essex 3,577 
			 Gloucestershire 1,262 
			 Greater Manchester 7,791 
			 Hampshire 3,658 
			 Hertfordshire 2,048 
			 Humberside 1,952 
			 Kent 3,668 
			 Lancashire 3,448 
			 Leicestershire 2,211 
			 Lincolnshire 1,202 
			 London, City of 878 
			 Merseyside 4,297 
			 Metropolitan police 32,441 
			 Norfolk 1,598 
			 Northamptonshire 1,306 
			 Northumbria 4,102 
			 North Yorkshire 1,458 
			 Nottinghamshire 2,319 
			 South Yorkshire 2,888 
			 Staffordshire 2,079 
			 Suffolk 1,244 
			 Surrey 1,885 
			 Sussex 3,102 
			 Thames Valley 4,375 
			 Warwickshire 919 
			 West Mercia 2,251 
			 West Midlands 8,149 
			 West Yorkshire 5,536 
			 Wiltshire 1,099 
			 Dyfed-Powys 1,157 
			 Gwent 1,501 
			 North Wales 1,530 
			 South Wales 3,100 
			 Total 43 forces 139,110 
			 (1) This and other tables contain full-time equivalent figures that have been rounded to the nearest whole number. Because of rounding, there may be an apparent discrepancy between totals and the sums of the constituent items.

Police: Pensions

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration she gave to undertaking a public consultation on the change in the basis for indexation of police pensions from the retail prices index to the consumer prices index.

Nick Herbert: The change in indexation was a result of the announcement in the Budget on 22 June 2010 by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, my right hon. Friend the Member for Tatton (Mr Osborne), that from April 2011 the consumer prices index would be used for the indexation of benefits, tax credits and public service pensions (including police pensions). This was confirmed in the Pensions Increase (Review) Order 2011 made on 16 March 2011 by the Treasury.
	The annual increase of public service pensions is governed by the Pensions (Increase) Act 1971, rather than the legislation that provides for police pensions. There has been no consideration of consultation concerning the basis for indexation as it applies specifically to police pensions.

Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether police station inquiry officers are eligible to receive the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal; and what criteria are used to assess eligibility for the award of the medal.

Nick Herbert: holding answer 13 October 2011
	Members of the emergency services eligible for the medal are those that are called to attend emergencies, potentially placing themselves in danger or who face challenging situations in order to keep the public safe. The criterion for the medal has been agreed across Government Departments and has received Royal Assent.

Vetting: Appeals

Jeremy Lefroy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans she has to introduce a right of appeal to an independent body in respect of the content of Criminal Records Bureau checks; and if she will make a statement.

Damian Green: The Protection of Freedoms Bill, currently before Parliament, would enable those seeking Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) checks to apply to the independent monitor if they believed that information provided by the police on an enhanced criminal record certificate was irrelevant or ought not to have been included.

HEALTH

Abortion

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the timetable is for his Department's planned consultation on abortion policy.

Anne Milton: The Department will carry out a public consultation on independent abortion counselling. We are currently developing proposals for consultation including the timetable for introduction. We intend to work with experts in the field and other interested parties to develop these proposals.

Alcoholic Drinks: Misuse

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent estimate he has made of the cost to the NHS of treating people with alcohol-related health problems in (a) Ashfield constituency, (b) Nottinghamshire and (c) England.

Anne Milton: The Department has made no estimates of the cost to the national health service of treating people with alcohol-related health problems in Ashfield constituency and Nottinghamshire. We have previously estimated the cost to the NHS of treating people with alcohol-related health problems in England at about £2.7 billion per year. The Department published this estimate in ‘The cost of alcohol harm to the NHS in England’ in July 2008, a copy of which has already been placed in the Library.

Arthritis: Health Services

Nick de Bois: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of people with rheumatoid arthritis received treatment by a consultant-led multidisciplinary team that included physiotherapy in the latest period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Burstow: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Cancer: Screening

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to ensure co-ordination between Public Health England, local authorities and the NHS on the early diagnosis of cancer following the implementation of his planned reforms to the NHS.

Anne Milton: The Department is in discussion with local government, the national health service, the voluntary and community sector and others to finalise the operational design of the new public health system. This includes publishing further details of the new public health leadership role for local authorities and the operating model for Public Health England.
	These documents will set out where the best place for commissioning responsibility should rest for campaigns around early diagnosis.

Ministerial Meetings

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many meetings he has had with representatives of (a) social enterprises, (b) charities, (c) large private sector businesses and (d) small and medium-sized private sector businesses since May 2010; and if he will make a statement.

Anne Milton: Details of all ministerial meetings with external parties are published quarterly in arrears on the Department's website. The latest data up to the end of March 2011 can be found at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/en/Aboutus/MinistersandDepartment Leaders/Departmentdirectors/DH_110759

Doctors: Foreign Nationals

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many non-UK doctors and consultants were working in the NHS in the last year for which figures are available.

Anne Milton: This information is not collected centrally. However, all doctors, including those in training, must be registered with the General Medical Council and they would be better placed to provide this information.

Health Visitors

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many health visitors have sought training in (a) children's wellbeing, (b) children's emotional development, (c) parenting and (d) the importance of attachment between parent and child as part of their continuous professional development in each of the last five years;
	(2)  what guidance and training is provided to health visitors on children's emotional development, wellbeing, attachment and parenting; and if he will make a statement.

Anne Milton: This information is not held centrally.
	Where aggregation of data relating to the professional development of health visitors does take place, it would be carried out at local level by primary care trusts.
	The National Health Visitor Programme has identified the need to educate the new entrants to the profession to deliver the new health visiting services. Children's emotional development, wellbeing, attachment and parenting are recommended areas of theory, knowledge and skills for practice, set out in the Department's “Educating Health Visitors for a Transformed Service” Published by Department of Health, August 2011 document and included in the health visitor education programme.
	A copy of the document has been placed in the Library.
	The Health Visitor Programme has also identified the need to develop and refresh the current workforce to provide leadership in delivery of the new service and to have the opportunity to extend and refresh clinical practice skills through national and local programmes. The Professional Mobilization work stream has provided direct Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and support to local services to deliver CPD.
	Clinical leaders estimate around 2,000 health visitors have been engaged in nationally run and/or supported events, including three events run in partnership with the NHS Institute. All programme evaluations have aimed to provide the strategic and leadership framework and to promote access to programmes such as:
	a number of e-learning modules that support delivery of the Healthy Child Programme that are accessible to health visitors online;
	a development programme for the health visitor early implementer sites encompassing leadership training, new models of practice, general and bespoke support; and
	a ‘Building Community Capacity’ project tested by health visitors and school nurses in the early implementer sites, with national roll-out next year.
	All events have evaluated very well, with health visitors being engaged with the developments. Additionally, professional organisations have provided learning opportunities through events and clinical articles in journals.
	Guidance on appropriate training and development is available locally in provider organisations and will often form the basis of appraisal discussions.

Health Visitors

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  which early implementer health visiting sites were carrying out the practice of corporate working in the latest period for which figures are available;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the implementation and effectiveness of corporate working undertaken by early implementer health visiting sites; and if he will make a statement;

Anne Milton: All services are moving towards delivery of the new health visiting service vision and offer to families spearheaded by the early implementer sites. The actual arrangements for deployment of health visitors is a matter for local leadership based on meeting local health needs. This may include a range of approaches including primary care attachment, geographic placement and corporate caseload. All local arrangements must address key issues of professional relationships with families, working with local communities and optimising working arrangements with other local providers of children and family.

Health Visitors

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to incorporate the advice contained in “Educating Health Visitors for a Transformed Service” into the continuous professional development of health visitors; and if he will make a statement.

Anne Milton: “Educating Health Visitors for a Transformed Service”(1) provides guidance for education commissioners and higher education institutions (HEIs), to assist with alignment of health visiting courses with the new service vision for health visiting as set out in the “Health Visitor Implementation Plan 2011-15: A Call to Action”. Copies of both documents have already been placed in the Library.
	The guidance was produced by the Department, in collaboration with partners, including the Council of Deans, the United Kingdom Standing Conference, the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), the Community Practitioners and Health Visitors Association, and higher education commissioners and institutions. It supports the NMC standards, and serves as a useful framework for education providers seeking to reflect the new vision in their courses.
	The Department recommends that commissioners and higher education institutions consider the range of topics provided by the guidance when reviewing their programmes to ensure that health visitors are equipped with appropriate theory, knowledge and skills to deliver the new service on completion of training. The guidance specifically prompts both HEIs and commissioners to focus on how they will work closely with community practice teachers and mentors in supporting students. It also suggests close working with strategic health authorities, to identify and increase the range of high quality clinical placements.
	Guidance on appropriate training and development is available locally in provider organisations and will often forming the basis of appraisal discussions.
	(1 )Published by Department of Health, August 2011

Incontinence: Medical Equipment

Peter Aldous: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent discussions his Department has had with the NHS Business Services Authority on its research report into the supply of urology and stoma products.

Anne Milton: The Department has not had any recent discussions with the NHS Business Services Authority in relation to its report which is still in preparation.

Incontinence: Medical Equipment

Peter Aldous: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what recent assessment his Department has made of the effect of Part IX of the Drug Tariff on patient choice of urology and stoma products;
	(2)  what recent assessment he has made of the price variation in primary care for urology and stoma products.

Anne Milton: We have made no assessment of the effect of Part IX of the Drug Tariff on patient choice of urology and stoma products.
	We have made no assessment of price variation in primary care for urology and stoma products. For national health service prescriptions dispensed in primary care dispensing contractors are reimbursed according to the Drug Tariff. The Drug Tariff sets out Secretary of State determinations, which apply nationally of the amounts pharmacy and appliance contractors will be paid for dispensing NHS prescriptions.

NHS Blood and Transplant

Chris Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of the future of the NHS Blood and Transplant Service; and if he will make a statement

Anne Milton: I refer the hon. Member to my written ministerial statement given on 18 October 2011, Official Report, columns 61-62WS.

NHS: Privatisation

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 22 March 2011, Official Report, column 1011W, on health services: privatisation, what definition of privatisation his Department uses.

Anne Milton: The answer given by the Minister of State, Department of Health, my right hon. Friend the Member for Chelmsford (Mr Burns), on 22 March 2011, Official Report, column 1011W, confirmed that the Government are not pursuing a policy of privatisation of health care providers whereby national health service organisations would be transferred from public to private ownership and control.

NHS: Procurement

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much the NHS has spent on legal, accounting and other advisory fees when going through tendering processes in each of the last three years.

Anne Milton: This information is not held centrally. This information will be held by individual national health service bodies.

NHS: Reorganisation

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of whether his planned reforms of the health service will result in the fragmentation of NHS services; and if he will make a statement.

Anne Milton: We do not consider that the Health and Social Care Bill will lead to the fragmentation of NHS services.
	The Bill would place a duty on clinical commissioning groups and the NHS Commissioning Board in relation to securing integrated services where they benefit patients. Monitor would also be required to enable the delivery of integrated services.
	Commissioners will continue to be responsible for securing healthcare services for their local populations and will be empowered to take decisions on how services will be bundled together. This will include commissioning integrated services to deliver better outcomes for patients. Nothing in the Bill would force commissioners to unbundle or fragment services against the best interests of patients.

Nurses: Foreign Workers

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to ensure testing of the language and competence of nurses who have trained within the European Economic Area and Switzerland.

Anne Milton: Systematic testing of the language knowledge of health care professionals at the point of registration is contrary to European law. However, nurses work in an employed environment and their employers can and should ensure that any nurse appointed is able and competent to carry out their duties effectively. This must include their overall competency for the role and more specifically their ability to communicate to the required standard.
	The Department recognises that there are widespread concerns about this issue, and we are in discussions with the Nursing and Midwifery Council about whether any steps can be taken to strengthen local checks on nurses.

Orthopaedics: Footwear

Andrew Bridgen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people have received treatment involving orthopaedic shoes in each of the last five years.

Anne Milton: Information about orthopaedic footwear is not collected centrally. It is for local national health service organisations to determine how best to use their funds to meet national and local priorities for improving health and to commission services accordingly including the provision of orthopaedic footwear.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Children: Day Care

Chris Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what support his Department is providing to low-income parents to assist with child care costs.

Maria Miller: Jobcentre Plus advisers help parents identify and access appropriate child care provision in their area. Partnership managers work with local authorities to identify gaps in provision. The costs of child care are paid by Jobcentre Plus for parent claimants on Jobcentre Plus work and training programmes.
	Help with child care costs for working parents is currently provided via working tax credits. Families are able to receive support for child care costs of 70% up to a maximum of £175 for one child or £300 for two or more children per week. From 2013 this support will be paid through the universal credit. Currently, child care support is only available for people who work 16 hours a week or more, but under universal credit this requirement will be removed.

Child Maintenance

Sheila Gilmore: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what discussions he has had with the Scottish Government Ministers on providing additional resources for mediation services in Scotland to support separating parents to reach voluntary arrangements for child maintenance should the provisions of the Welfare Reform Bill on child maintenance become law.

Maria Miller: The Government recognise that family support is a devolved matter and we are working closely with Scottish Government colleagues to look at the implications for family support services in Scotland.
	Our proposals for family support outlined in the Green Paper are about making it easier for families to access the support that currently exists and that many organisations offer separating and separated parents. However this system of support is seen by some families as complicated to navigate and we need to better understand how best and what aspects of this support to co-ordinate.
	We will continue to work closely with other Government Departments, including the Department for Education, the Ministry for Justice and the Department of Health. We are also working to ensure that this work is aligned with that of the Family Justice Review.
	As I clarified at the Work and Pensions Select Committee on 15 June, mediation is only one approach that we are exploring. Mediation can be very expensive to administer and may not be the most appropriate support for all families. Families require differing support depending on their circumstances, and that is why we are already working with the voluntary and community sector in order to understand what forms of existing support are most effective in helping parents work collaboratively to establish enduring co-parenting arrangements.
	In addition, an expert Steering Group has been established to help us to consider the most appropriate delivery model at local and national level in order to support consistency of provision across local areas, while also evaluating the resources that are already in place to ensure the system as a whole functions to direct parents to the support they need.

Child Maintenance

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what costs have been included in the expected average administrative costs for processing an application under the new statutory child maintenance system.

Maria Miller: The Government are considering a range of options for the new child maintenance scheme and the cost implications will be determined by the option chosen.
	However, once the new scheme has been live for a significant period, the cost of processing an application could stabilise at around £220.

Child Maintenance

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what (a) research and (b) analysis was undertaken by his Department on the effect different levels of charges levied on parents with care and non-resident parents under the new statutory child maintenance system would have on (i) the behaviour of non-resident parents and (ii) the behaviour of parents with care; and whether he plans to publish the findings of such research and analysis.

Maria Miller: The Government are considering a range of options on charging, and further details will be published when the Government consult on the draft regulations. Impact assessments accompanying the draft regulations will set out the estimated effects on volumes and individuals who will be affected by the proposed new charges.

Child Maintenance

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate his Department has made of the (a) start-up and (b) ongoing administrative costs arising from (i) charging and collection of application fees from parents with care, (ii) charging and collection of ongoing fees from parents with care using the Commission's collection service and (iii) the charging and collection of ongoing fees from non-resident parents where the Commission's collection service is used.

Maria Miller: The costs associated with the introduction of charging for users of the statutory maintenance service are included within the overall cost of developing the new statutory scheme, and it is not possible to isolate these costs separately. Similarly, it is not possible to isolate the ongoing costs of charging as charging will be included as an intrinsic part of the processes of the new scheme.

Child Maintenance

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has for charges for low- income parents using the new statutory child maintenance system following the introduction of universal credit.

Maria Miller: The detailed interactions between the current and future child maintenance schemes and universal credit are in the process of being developed. As part of this, we are specifically considering how receipt of universal credit will interrelate to the proposed charges for parents using the future child maintenance scheme.
	The Government are considering a range of options on charging and further details will be published when the Government consult on the draft regulations.

Child Maintenance

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the total administrative costs of a child maintenance case under the new statutory child maintenance system over the period an average case is expected to last;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the average annual cost of a child maintenance case under the new statutory child maintenance system in (a) the year when an application is first made and (b) each subsequent year.

Maria Miller: The Government are considering a range of options for the new child maintenance scheme and further details will be published when the Government consult in due course. At this time we will be able to provide more information on the cost implications of the proposals.
	The approximate annual cost of maintaining a case is expected to reduce with the introduction of the new scheme. Analysis of the current scheme shows that an average case can be expected to last nine years.

Ministerial Meetings

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many meetings he has had with representatives of (a) social enterprises, (b) charities, (c) large private sector businesses and (d) small and medium-sized private sector businesses since May 2010; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Grayling: Details of meetings held between DWP Ministers and outside organisations is published on a quarterly basis on the Department's website:
	http://www.dwp.gov.uk/publications/corporate-publications/ministers-meetings-overseas.shtml
	Information for quarters April 2011 to June 2011 and July 2011 to September 2011 is being collated and will be published in due course.

Disability Living Allowance

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how many people in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the north-east and (d) the UK were in receipt of disability living allowance in each year since its inception;
	(2)  how many people in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the north-east and (d) the UK were in receipt of disability living allowance in the latest period for which figures are available;
	(3)  how many people in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the north-east and (d) the UK were in receipt of disability living allowance including the (i) higher and (ii) lower rate mobility component in each year since its inception;
	(4)  how many recipients of disability living allowance in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the north-east and (d) the UK have been interviewed and had their benefits reassessed since May 2010; and how many (i) were awarded a lower level of benefit, (ii) lost all of their allowance and (iii) were successful on appeal.

Maria Miller: The information requested on numbers of disability living allowance recipients is contained in the following table.
	
		
			 Disability living allowance (DLA) recipients by mobility award type: Timeseries 
			  Total Higher mobility rate Lower mobility rate Nil mobility rate 
			 Jarrow parliamentary constituency     
			 February 1997 4,100 3,100 600 (1)500 
			 February 1998 4,500 3,300 800 (1)400 
			 February 1999 4,400 3,100 800 (1)500 
			 February 2000 4,300 3,100 800 (1)500 
			 February 2001 4,500 3,200 800 (1)500 
			 February 2002 4,900 3,400 1,000 (1)500 
			 February 2003 5,090 3,620 910 560 
			 February 2004 5,200 3,650 970 570 
			 February 2005 5,220 3,610 1,040 580 
			 February 2006 5,350 3,650 1,120 580 
			 February 2007 5,470 3,720 1,150 600 
			 February 2008 5,640 3,800 1,230 610 
			 February 2009 5,770 3,820 1,300 650 
			 February 2010 5,890 3,870 1,390 630 
			 February 2011 6,100 3,920 1,530 650 
			      
			 South Tyneside local authority     
			 November 1995 6,900 5,100 1,000 700 
			 February 1996 7,000 5,300 1,000 700 
			 February 1997 7,900 5,800 1,300 800 
			 February 1998 8,500 6,300 1,400 800 
		
	
	
		
			 February 1999 8,400 5,900 1,500 900 
			 February 2000 8,500 6,000 1,600 900 
			 February 2001 8,900 6,100 1,600 1,100 
			 February 2002 9,400 6,300 2,000 1,100 
			 February 2003 9,380 6,470 1,760 1,150 
			 February 2004 9,580 6,540 1,890 1,150 
			 February 2005 9,690 6,500 2,020 1,170 
			 February 2006 9,870 6,550 2,180 1,150 
			 February 2007 10,160 6,660 2,310 1,190 
			 February 2008 10,470 6,800 2,450 1,220 
			 February 2009 10,770 6,880 2,620 1,280 
			 February 2010 11,000 6,950 2,790 1,260 
			 February 2011 11,140 6,920 2,950 1,280 
			      
			      
			 North-east r egion     
			 November 1995 112,300 83,300 15,400 13,600 
			 February 1996 115,600 84,900 16,200 14,500 
			 February 1997 128,500 91,500 20,000 17,000 
			 February 1998 137,900 97,000 22,400 18,500 
			 February 1999 140,800 97,500 24,500 18,800 
			 February 2000 143,200 97,500 26,100 19,600 
			 February 2001 147,200 99,800 28,100 19,400 
			 February 2002 152,400 101,800 30,700 19,800 
			 February 2003 154,840 101,860 32,800 20,180 
			 February 2004 157,100 102,600 34,630 19,870 
			 February 2005 158,610 102,620 36,330 19,660 
			 February 2006 159,730 102,620 37,810 19,300 
			 February 2007 163,170 103,810 39,800 19,560 
			 February 2008 167,360 105,380 41,920 20,060 
			 February 2009 172,180 106,720 44,700 20,760 
			 February 2010 175,290 107,210 47,360 20,720 
			 February 2011 177,090 106,930 49,550 20,620 
			      
			 Great Britain and abroad     
			 November 1995 1,684,900 1,190,500 294,300 200,000 
			 February 1996 1,728,200 1,216,100 307,100 205,100 
			 February 1997 1,907,600 1,312,000 365,400 230,200 
			 February 1998 2,038,400 1,372,700 410,100 255,600 
			 February 1999 2,102,400 1,386,800 442,000 273,500 
			 February 2000 2,172,300 1,406,400 474,400 291,500 
			 February 2001 2,275,600 1,455,400 514,500 305,600 
			 February 2002 2,391,100 1,515,400 561,800 314,000 
			 February 2003 2,516,130 1,561,190 611,800 343,130 
			 February 2004 2,625,390 1,606,770 659,990 358,630 
			 February 2005 2,712,910 1,639,160 705,180 368,570 
			 February 2006 2,785,680 1,663,720 746,240 375,720 
			 February 2007 2,860,790 1,691,330 788,600 380,870 
			 February 2008 2,945,570 1,723,150 835,360 387,060 
			 February 2009 3,043,990 1,750,760 893,190 400,030 
			 February 2010 3,137,730 1,776,550 951,110 410,080 
		
	
	
		
			 February 2011 3,192,090 1,780,420 998,170 413,500 
			 (1) Figures of 500 or less are subject to a degree of sampling variation and therefore should be used as a guide only to the correct situation. Notes: 1. Figures from November 1995 to February 2002 are taken from 5% sample data. They have been uprated to be consistent with WPLS data and are rounded to the nearest 100. Figures from May 2002 onwards are taken from WPLS 100% data and are rounded to the nearest 10. Totals may not sum due to rounding. 2. Totals show the number of people in receipt of an allowance, and excludes cases where the payment has been suspended, e.g. if they are in hospital. 3. Constituencies used are for the Westminster Parliament and reflect the changes from May 2010. Prior to this, the constituencies used are for May 2005. 4. Local authority boundary changes from April 2009 have also been taken into account. 5. There is no parliamentary constituency information for DLA until February 1997. 6. Great Britain data have been provided as the information for Northern Ireland is the responsibility of the Northern Ireland Office. Northern Ireland statistics can be found at: http://www.dsdni.gov.uk/index/stats_and_research.htm Source: Department for Work and Pensions, Information Directorate, 100% WPLS. DWP Information Directorate: Sample data (5%). 
		
	
	The information on numbers of recipients of disability living allowance who have been reassessed is not available in the format requested. Information regarding how many people in Jarrow constituency, South Tyneside, the north-east and the UK have been interviewed and their disability living allowance (DLA) reassessed since May 2010 and how many were awarded a lower level of benefit, lost all of their allowance and were successful on appeal is not routinely collated and can be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Such information as is available is contained in the following table.
	
		
			 Information on disability living allowance (DLA) decisions and appeal outcome at Great Britain level—May 2010 to September 2011 
			  Number 
			 Total DLA decisions made (Reconsiderations, Renewals and Supersessions) 802,000 
			 DLA award reduced 56,000 
			 DLA disallowed (an award of benefit becomes a disallowance) 60,000 
			 Total DLA decisions made following an appeal hearing 81,000 
			 Appeal successful—award increased 7,000 
			 Allowed on appeal (a disallowance of one or both components becomes an award of benefit) 24,000 
			 Notes: 1. Figures rounded to nearest 1,000. 2. DLA decisions made figures include reconsiderations, renewals, supersessions (where someone is already in receipt of benefit and reports a change of circumstances which results in the benefit being changed or suspended) and active case management supersessions. The figures do not include Secretary of State supersessions—that is where an award of DLA is looked at again because information has been received that raises questions about the customer's entitlement to DLA. This is because the DLA computer system does not report out the same level of information for Secretary of State supersessions. 3. The DLA management information on appeal decisions does not enable us to identify the type of decision that the customer is disputing. Not all of the appeal decisions shown above will be in connection with an appeal against a decision to award a lower level of benefit or disallow DLA following reassessment. The appeal figures will also include appeals where the customer is disputing the outcome of their initial claim for DLA. Source: Department for Work and Pensions—RDA60209 and RDA60205 reports—DLA Management Information Statistics

Kinship Carers

Fiona O'Donnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to improve support for kinship carers.

Maria Miller: Kinship carers can be eligible for a range of benefits. If they are approved foster carers, they can receive a fostering allowance in England and Wales or kinship care allowance in Scotland. If they are not approved, kinship carers may be entitled to child benefit, either child tax credits or pension credits, and any other benefits available to parents, subject to the standard eligibility criteria. In order to prevent double provision, these benefits are not provided where the child is formally looked after by the local authority and their accommodation or maintenance is provided from public funds.
	We are currently considering support for families under universal credit, including support for kinship carers.
	In addition, statutory guidance for local authorities on family and friends care was issued in March 2011. In particular, it sets out a requirement on local authorities to develop equitable and transparent policies for delivering effective services to kinship carers across the range of legal arrangements which underpin family and friends care.

Kinship Carers

Fiona O'Donnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what meetings he has had with (a) kinship carers and (b) organisations representing kinship carers; and if he will publish the papers in connection to such meetings.

Maria Miller: My ministerial colleagues and I have met with representatives from the Kinship Care Alliance on a number of occasions. In line with Cabinet Office guidance, Ministers’ meetings with key stakeholders and representative organisations are published on the Cabinet Office website.

Pensions: Public Expenditure

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the likely cost to the public purse arising from implementation of his proposed amendments 13 and 14 to the Pensions Bill at Report Stage; and from which Government budget these costs will be met.

Steve Webb: The new timetable will reduce the estimated savings by a total of £1.1 billion in 2019-20 and 2020-21 (2011-12 prices).

Social Security Benefits

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the effect of changes to (a) housing benefit and (b) council tax benefit on the working age population, broken down by those (i) in and (ii) out of work in (A) 2012 and (B) 2013; and if he will make a statement.

Steve Webb: The Department has commissioned a consortium of academics and research organisations led by Ian Cole, professor of housing studies at Sheffield Hallam university, to undertake an independent review of the impact of the housing benefit measures introduced last month. The work will cover both in-work and out- of-work housing benefit claimants and is longitudinal in nature so will re-visit respondents a year after initial interviews.
	The Department for Communities and Local Government, the Scottish Government and Welsh Assembly Government are working in close partnership with the DWP and contributing to the costs of the review.
	A copy of the available impact assessments on those in-work and out of work has been placed in the Library.

Social Security Benefits

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the total monetary value of benefits that are unclaimed for each type of benefit in the last year for which figures are available.

Chris Grayling: For the six income-related benefits for which estimates are available there was between £6,930 million and £12,700 million left unclaimed in 2008-09. This compared to £38,110 million that was claimed and represents take-up by expenditure of between about 75% and 85%. The information by benefit is in the following table.
	
		
			 £ million 
			  Unclaimed benefit 
			 Benefit Lower Upper 
			 Income support/Employment and support allowance 590 1,630 
			 Pension credit 1,630 2,930 
			 Housing benefit 1,780 3,410 
			 Council tax benefit 1,490 2,150 
			 Jobseeker's allowance (income based) 1,450 2,580 
			 Notes: 1. These statistics are from the National Statistics publication “Income Related Benefits Estimates of Take-Up in 2008-09” and are available via the following link http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/index.php?page=irb They refer to private households in Great Britain and exclude the full-time self-employed. 2. Take-up estimates are presented as ranges within which it can be assumed true take-up lies. These robust “ranges of true take-up” account for possible biases that arise in estimating take-up from the available data sources. These ranges also account for the effects of sampling variation (otherwise known as sampling error). Care should be taken when interpreting take-up statistics. For instance, if the upper limit of a caseload take-up range is 90%, this does not necessarily mean that at least 10% never take up their entitlement. This is because some of the shortfall in take-up may represent a delay in claiming benefit that is eventually received. Source: Income Related Benefits Estimates of Take-Up in 2008-09.

State Retirement Pensions: Females

Damian Hinds: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of (a) women and (b) men in (i) East Hampshire constituency, (ii) Hampshire and (iii) the UK who will benefit from his proposed capping of the increase in women's state pension age at 18 months.

Steve Webb: The information requested is provided in the table below, Great Britain population figures have been used instead of UK population figures.
	
		
			 Number of people with reduced increase in state pension age due to capping of the increase in women's state pension age at 18 months 
			  Men Women 
			 East Hampshire constituency 420 410 
			 Hampshire 5,400 5,700 
			 Great Britain 240,000 245,000 
			 Notes: 1. Figures are a best estimate making use of county and constituency level population figures derived from England and Wales birth distribution data and local level population estimates. 2. Figures at constituency level have been rounded to the nearest 10, at county level to the nearest 100 and at GB level to the nearest 5,000. 3. Figures for Great Britain have been used consistent with the approach for the Pensions Bill 2011 impact assessment. Source: ONS 2008-based Population estimates

Winterbourne View Hospital

Margaret Curran: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what discussions he has had with (a) the Department of Health and (b) disabled people following the recent abuse of disabled people at Winterbourne View hospital.

Maria Miller: I have had discussions with both the Department of Health and representatives from disabled people's organisations regarding Winterbourne View hospital.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Afghanistan: Reconstruction

Stephen Barclay: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer of 8 September 2011, Official Report, column 768W, on Afghanistan: reconstruction, what projects were funded through the National Rural Access Program and National Solidarity Program in Afghanistan; and how much funding each received.

Stephen O'Brien: The multi-donor National Rural Access Program (NRAP) reports tasks completed rather than individual projects. It would incur disproportionate cost to obtain details of all of the projects that were funded through this programme and how much funding each received.
	According to the National Solidarity Programme (NSP) website:
	www.nspafghanistan.org
	the multi-donor NSP has supported over 13,000 transport projects to date. It is not possible to determine the proportion of UK funds used for priority road projects through this programme without incurring disproportionate costs.

Afghanistan: Reconstruction

Stephen Barclay: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer of 8 September 2011, Official Report, column 768W, on Afghanistan: reconstruction, what the proportion was of the £98 million of funding provided by his Department through the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund that supported priority road projects through the National Rural Access Program and National Solidarity Program.

Stephen O'Brien: Of the £98 million provided by the Department for International Development to the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund, and estimated to have been spent on infrastructure, £18 million was provided to the National Rural Access Programme for priority road projects (approximately 17%).
	According to the National Solidarity Programme (NSP) website:
	www.nspafghanistan.org
	the multi-donor NSP has supported over 13,000 transport projects to date. It is not possible to determine the proportion of UK funds used for priority road projects through this programme without incurring disproportionate costs.

Afghanistan: Roads

Stephen Barclay: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which road projects in Afghanistan his Department has funded or part-funded in each year since 2001.

Andrew Mitchell: I have deposited in the Library a table that shows how much funding DFID has provided to programmes that include road projects. We are not able to provide a more detailed breakdown of the specific projects we contribute to through multi-donor programmes managed by the Afghan Government without incurring disproportionate costs.

British Overseas Territories: Overseas Aid

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans he has to provide aid to British Overseas Territories and Dependants in the next 12 months.

Stephen O'Brien: The Overseas Territories department's operational plan which was published on 28 May 2011 confirmed that in 2011-12 the department plans to provide £59.913 million in aid to the British Overseas Territories and Dependencies. In 2012-13 DFID plans to provide £59.2 million.
	The operational plan has been published to the DFID website
	http://www.dfid.gov.uk/Where-we-work/Overseas-Territories/

Charities: Finance

Tristram Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much his Department has granted to (a) Oxfam, (b) UNICEF, (c) CAFOD, (d) WaterAid and (e) Christian Aid since May 2010.

Stephen O'Brien: Details of the funding provided by DFID to each of the organisations for the period 1 April 2010 to 31 March 2011 are provided in Statistics for International Development (SID) 2011. Table 18 of SID provides information on UNICEF and Table 19 for CAFOD, Christian Aid, Oxfam and WaterAid. This information is available on the Department for International Developments (DFID) website:
	www.dfid.gov.uk
	Information about funding since April 2011 will be provided in the next SID 2011-12.

Departmental Re-location

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many civil servants in his Department have been (a) relocated and (b) agreed to relocation in the last 12 months; and to which areas of the UK.

Stephen O'Brien: The Department for International Development (DFID) has two headquarter locations in the UK; one in London and the other in East Kilbride, near Glasgow.
	Within the last 12 months, 31 staff agreed to relocation. 30 staff have actually relocated. Of these, 24 staff relocated from London to East Kilbride, and six from East Kilbride to London.

Procurement

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many contracts his Department has awarded directly to third sector organisations in each month since May 2010; what the value was of such contracts; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen O'Brien: The number and total value of contracts awarded directly to third sector organisations by the Department for International Development's (DFID) central procurement department since May 2010 are provided in the following table:
	
		
			  Number Total value (£ million) 
			 October 2010 1 0.1 
			 November 2010 1 8.3 
			 December 2010 2 4.0 
			 January 2011 1 7.5 
			 February 2011 3 8.5 
			 March 2011 3 7.5 
			 May 2011 1 3.0 
			 June 2011 1 7.5 
			 August 2011 2 2.8 
		
	
	The above data relate specifically to supplier type contracts issued to third sector organisations. DFID apply the EU principles of open and fair procurement to supplier contracts, with all competitions carried out in line with the EU directives.
	DFID provided £329 million of funding to UK civil society organisations in 2010-11 through other types of arrangement.

Cyber- Security

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department is taking to improve cyber-security in relation to his Department's estate; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen O'Brien: Government takes cyber-security very seriously and it has been categorised as a tier one threat to UK national security. £650 million is being invested over the next four years in a National Cyber Security Programme, working across Departments, with the private sector, international partners and citizens to improve the UK's cyber-security capability.
	The Department for International Development routinely assesses the prevailing threats to its ICT systems and applies appropriate and proportionate measures in accordance with the Government standards set out in the Cabinet Office's Security Policy Framework (SPF). These standards are aligned with industry best practice approaches.
	It is not in the interest of national security to make public details of particular improvements in relation to individual Departments as it may expose vulnerabilities to those who may seek to exploit them.

Developing Countries: Infant Mortality

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent progress he has made towards meeting the Millennium Development Goal of reducing the under-five mortality rate to two-thirds of 1990 levels by 2015.

Andrew Mitchell: Between 1990 and 2008, the death rate for children under five decreased by 28%. Worldwide. This means 10,000 fewer under-five deaths every day. However, 7.6 million children still die every year and over 350,000 women lose their lives unnecessarily from complications with pregnancy and childbirth. The UK is committed to supporting the UN "Every Women Every Child" Global Strategy on Women's and Children's Health to accelerate progress on improving maternal and child health. Our Framework for Results, ‘Choices for women: Planned pregnancies, safer births and healthy newborns’, sets out the UK contribution to this strategy. We will save the lives of 50,000 mothers and 250,000 newborn children in poor countries by 2015. UK support to GAVI over the next five years will enable them to vaccinate over 80 million children and save 1.4 million lives.
	The UN published an interim progress report in September 2011. ‘Saving the Lives of 16 Million’ showed enhanced commitment, with increased funding and improved policies and services strengthened on the ground. In addition, more than 100 new partners including Governments, civil society and multilateral organisations, joined the initiative, bringing the total to more than 200.

EU Aid: Trade Unions

Alun Cairns: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much aid from the EU budget has been disbursed to trade unions in each of the last 10 financial years.

Stephen O'Brien: The official annual report 2011 on the European Union's Development and External Assistance Policies and their Implementation in 2010 contains information on EU expenditure on external relations on an annual basis. DFID do not hold information on EU overseas development assistance (ODA) disbursed to trade unions, but the European Commission DG EuropeAid public enquiry point
	EUROPEAID-info@ec.europa.eu
	may be able to provide my hon. Friend with this information.
	Details of DFID's existing commitments to trade unions during the comprehensive spending review (CSR) period are available in the Library of the House.
	Trade unions are eligible to apply for civil society funding during the CSR period, such as through the Global Poverty Action Fund (GPAF), in competition with other civil society organisations. Any decision to offer funding will be based on the quality of proposals submitted. We expect all proposals to demonstrate value for money in delivering real benefits for poor people while contributing to DFID's wider development goals.

Overseas Aid

Stephen Barclay: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what criteria his Department uses to review a country's performance for the purposes of determining aid allocation; and how frequently such reviews are conducted.

Stephen O'Brien: DFID's Bilateral and Multilateral Aid Reviews in 2010-11 introduced a new approach to aid allocation. DFID no longer allocates resources to countries and regions through a top-down process focused on a formula based on country need and the likely effectiveness of assistance. Instead, DFID identifies and scrutinises from the bottom-up the results that UK assistance can achieve against its development objectives in each country and makes allocation decisions accordingly. DFID will continually centrally monitor its performance against its published targets and country operational plans as part of its annual budget cycle and this will drive resource allocation decisions going forward.

Sri Lanka: Overseas Aid

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much aid his Department has given to Sri Lanka in each of the last 10 years.

Alan Duncan: The Department for International Development (DFID) allocated the following amounts to Sri Lanka over the last 10 financial years.
	
		
			 Financial year DFID bilateral spend (£ million) 
			 2001-02 4.738 
		
	
	
		
			 2002-03 5.724 
			 2003-04 8.093 
			 2004-05 6.552 
			 2005-06 10.774 
			 2006-07 5.904 
			 2007-08 1.813 
			 2008-09 2.978 
			 2009-10 13.061 
			 2010-11 1.375 
		
	
	DFID closed its bilateral programme with Sri Lanka in 2006. However, since then DFID has contributed bilaterally to humanitarian work in Sri Lanka, all through the UN, Red Cross and NGOs; none going directly to the Government of Sri Lanka.
	Details of UK aid expenditure are published annually in Statistics on International Development, which is available in the Library of the House and on DFID's website.

Third Sector

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much direct funding his Department has allocated to each civil society organisation in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12, (c) 2012-13, (d) 2013-14 and (e) 2014-15; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen O'Brien: The Department for International Development (DFID) supports Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) through a range of centrally managed funds and through country programmes. Details of funding provided to UK based CSOs in 2010-11 can be found in Table 19 of “Statistics on International Development”, 2011. This is available in the Library of the House and on the DFID website
	www.dfid.gov.uk
	Details of funding provided to CSOs in 2011-12 will be published in the next “Statistics on International Development” in 2012.
	The UK Government introduced the Aid Transparency Guarantee in 2010-11, which commits DFID to making all aid spend fully transparent to citizens in the UK and developing countries, increasing accessibility and feedback. As a result, full details of all DFID funded projects, including those delivered by CSOs, can be found on the project database on DFID's website:
	http://www.dfid.gov.uk/About-us/How-we-measure-progress/DFID-spend
	DFID is also encouraging International Organisations and CSOs to make similar commitments.

Yemen: Overseas Aid

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much aid his Department has given to Yemen in each of the last five years.

Stephen O'Brien: The amount of bilateral assistance provided to Yemen by the Department for International Development (DFID) is reported in “Statistics on International Development”, which is available in the Library of the House and on DFID's website.
	
		
			 Financial year Total DFID bilateral programme (£ million) 
			 2006-07 21.5 
			 2007-08 12.0 
			 2008-09 19.2 
			 2009-10 29.8 
			 2010-11 51.1

CABINET OFFICE

Duchy of Lancaster: Income

Stephen Phillips: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the income was to the Duchy of Lancaster from property escheating to the Dukedom in each of the last 10 years.

Francis Maude: Receipts to the Duchy of Lancaster from escheat for the last 10 years is shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Escheat receipts from sales (£) 
			 2001-02 4,870 
			 2002-03 4,200 
			 2003-04 8,101 
			 2004-05 23,130 
			 2005-06 2,350 
			 2006-07 62 
			 2007-08 68,290 
			 2008-09 29,028 
			 2009-10 171,699 
			 2010-11 0

Unemployment

Helen Jones: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the percentage change in the level of unemployment has been in each local authority area since May 2010.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Stephen Penneck
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking what the percentage change in the level of unemployment has been in each local authority area since May 2010. (076104)
	The Office for National Statistics produces estimates of total unemployment for unitary and local authorities, from a statistical model based on Annual Population Survey (APS) lending strength from Claimant Count, following International Labour Organisation (ILO) definitions.
	Table 1 shows the percentage changes in the levels of unemployment for all local authorities in Great Britain between the 12 month period ending June 2010 and the 12 month period ending March 2011, which is the latest period available. As the information requested is quite extensive, a copy has been placed in the House of Commons Library.
	National and local area estimates for many labour market statistics, including employment, unemployment and JSA count are available on the Nomis website at:
	http://www.nomisweb.co.uk

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Voter Registration

Chris Ruane: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much his Department spent on steps to encourage voter registration in each of the last five years; and how much funding he plans to allocate for such purposes in each of the next four years. [Official Report, 9 November 2011, Vol. 535, c. 1MC.]

Mark Harper: Electoral registration is the responsibility of individual Electoral Registration Officers (EROs). Local authorities have a duty to encourage participation in the electoral process and the Electoral Commission promotes public awareness of registration and produces research and reports on electoral registration issues. Electoral registration activity at the local level is funded through the Revenue Support Grant from central Government.
	The Ministry of Justice (responsible for elections policy until June 2010) provided funding through the Electoral Participation Fund set up in 2007-08 to support local electoral officers in undertaking their statutory duties. The following funds were provided from the Participation Fund: £934,742 in 2007-08, £544,392 in 2008-09 and £153,895 in 2009-10. A further £67,355 was spent in 2010-11 to support activities undertaken by electoral administrators to encourage participation at the elections which were held on 6 May 2010, but approved in the previous financial year. The Participation Fund was closed in the Emergency Budget of 22 June 2010.
	The Government have allocated a total of £108 million to meet the cost of implementing Individual Electoral Registration. This will fund EROs to make contact with each potential elector individually and invite them to register in 2014. It will also fund research to understand the current state of the electoral register and currently under-registered groups in order to ensure that as many people as possible are registered to vote. This year the Government are funding the piloting of “data matching' of electoral registers against other data sources, such as the National Pupil Database and the Department for Work and Pensions database, to identify possible eligible electors, as well as looking at the ways in which we can make it as easy and secure as possible for citizens to register to vote, such as online registration.

Climate Change: International Co-operation

Luciana Berger: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether he will attend the UN conference on climate change in Durban later this year.

Nicholas Clegg: The UK delegation will be led by the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, my right hon. Friend the Member for Eastleigh (Chris Huhne). I do not plan to attend.

Electoral Registration

Chris Ruane: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what estimate he has made of the change in the level of electoral registration arising from the introduction of individual voter registration in Northern Ireland; and what estimate he has made of the potential effects on the level of voter registration of the introduction of individual voter registration in the rest of the UK.

Mark Harper: Data on the levels of electoral registration over the period following transition to Individual Electoral Registration in Northern Ireland have been published by the Electoral Commission and are available at:
	http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/publications-and-research/policy-and-research?query=&meta_s_phrase=Electoral_ register&meta_C=Northern+lreland&meta_dyear=&sort= relevancy&daat=on
	The Government will do everything they can to maintain the completeness of the electoral register during the transition to Individual Registration in Great Britain. This includes learning from the experience in Northern Ireland in formulating our plans for the transition, such as phasing the transition in over two years, allowing electors who do not apply under the new system in 2014 to be carried forward so they retain their vote at the 2015 general election. Every eligible elector will be asked in 2014 to register under the new system. This will include personal invites to people on the register, inquiries to households where no one is registered or people have moved, reminder letters and face to face doorstep canvassers. There will be a publicity campaign run by the Electoral Commission. We are also testing data matching to identify people missing from the register and looking at how we can increase the choices people have over how to register, including greater use of online registration.
	The Government are also funding research to understand the current state of the electoral register. This will help us to better understand the way in which the move to Individual Electoral Registration will have an impact. Further research will be conducted with currently under-registered groups in order to ensure that as many people as possible are registered to vote, and to assist the transition to Individual Electoral Registration.

Electoral Registration

Chris Ruane: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will place in the Library a copy of the interim findings of the research project on electoral registration data sharing.

Mark Harper: The Government are conducting pilots to test data matching of the electoral registers against various national datasets in 22 pilot sites. The pilots are still live and will continue to run until 30 November. The Electoral Commission will conduct an independent evaluation of the pilots which will be completed and published in March 2012. The Government will also undertake their own evaluation which will consider both the process of data matching and the potential impact it may have on the completeness and accuracy of the electoral registers.

Electoral Registration

Chris Ruane: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many people were prosecuted for not completing an electoral registration form in each of the last three years.

Mark Harper: The Government do not hold this information, but it can be found on the Electoral Commission's website at:
	http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/performance-standards/data-collection
	The Electoral Commission figures show that the number of prosecutions initiated as a result of a failure to respond to the annual canvass in the last three years are as follows:
	
		
			  Prosecutions 
			 2008 183 
			 2009 67 
			 2010 144

Electoral Registration

Chris Ruane: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what recent discussions he has had with (a) electoral registration officers and (b) the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency on steps to improve the level of electoral registration in (i) Northern Ireland and (ii) the rest of the UK.

Mark Harper: The Government are currently running data matching schemes with Electoral Registration Officers to test the usefulness of public authority data, including DVLA driver records, for improving the completeness and accuracy of the electoral register. The Cabinet Office continues to work closely with DVLA and the relevant local authority Electoral Registration Officers to ensure the success of the data matching schemes and preparations for the introduction of Individual Electoral Registration.
	The Chief Electoral Officer for Northern Ireland is in regular contact with Electoral Registration Officers and the DVLA to ensure the validity of the continuous registration process in Northern Ireland. The Electoral Office for Northern Ireland has previously collaborated with the DVLA by asking them to include an information leaflet on the Electoral Register with their car tax reminders.

Electoral Registration

Chris Ruane: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what steps he is taking to increase the level of electoral registration on industrial estates and large factories in (a) Northern Ireland and (b) the rest of the UK.

Mark Harper: Registration is the responsibility of local Electoral Registration Officers. As part of his general objective to increase levels of registration in Northern Ireland, the Chief Electoral Officer is trialling a number of initiatives to target particular groups or individuals.
	The UK Government remain absolutely committed to ensuring that the maximum number of people are on the electoral register and is considering a number of ways to help improve registration in the context of the move to Individual Electoral Registration. This includes trialling ‘data matching’ of electoral registers against other data sources, such as the National Pupil Database and the Department for Work and Pensions database, to identify possible eligible electors, as well as looking at the ways in which we can make it as easy and secure as possible for citizens to register to vote, such as online registration.

Electoral Registration: Finance

Chris Ruane: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will consider ring-fencing funding provided for electoral registration purposes.

Mark Harper: Under current arrangements, it is the responsibility of local authorities to allocate resources from the revenue support grant provided by central Government. The Government are committed to funding the move to Individual Electoral Registration and will ensure that Electoral Registration Officers are able to implement the new system properly.

Electoral Registration: Young People

Chris Ruane: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what steps he is taking to improve the voter registration rates among young people in or leaving care homes in (a) Northern Ireland and (b) the rest of the UK.

Mark Harper: As part of his objective to increase levels of registration in Northern Ireland, the chief electoral officer is trialling a number of initiatives to target particular groups or individuals, and consideration is being given to devising and piloting a scheme to register young people in or leaving care sometime in the future.
	The UK Government remain absolutely committed to ensuring that the maximum number of people are on the electoral register and are considering a number of ways to help improve registration in the context of the move to individual electoral registration. This includes trialling this year “data matching” of electoral registers against other data sources, such as the National Pupil Database and the DWP database, to identify possible eligible electors, as well as looking at the ways in which we can make it as easy and secure as possible for citizens to register to vote through ways such as online registration. Further research will also be conducted into those groups that are currently under-registered, including young people, to inform our plans for implementation. As part of that research we will be learning from the experience of initiatives trialled in Northern Ireland.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his policy is on the security of Afghan interpreters who have worked with UK armed forces after the withdrawal of those forces in 2014; what policy was applied in respect of the security of Iraqi interpreters following the withdrawal of UK forces from Iraq; how many (a) Afghan and (b) Iraqi interpreters (i) have been and (ii) will be allowed to relocate in the UK; and if he will make a statement.

Alistair Burt: The Government take their responsibility for all members of staff seriously and have put in place measures to reduce the risks they face.
	The Foreign and Commonwealth Office follows a cross-Government policy for considering cases of local staff intimidation or injury in Afghanistan on a case-by- case basis. The policy ensures that we take into account the individual circumstances of each case and allows us to decide a proportionate response. It covers all locally-employed staff, including interpreters.
	Where staff face a serious threat our response might include providing protected accommodation, giving safety advice to staff and their families, granting extended leave or transferring staff to different jobs. In serious cases we may help staff relocate, either within Afghanistan, to a third country, or, in exceptional cases, to the UK. We have relocated one member of staff (not an interpreter) from Afghanistan to the UK.
	This policy is tailored to circumstances in Afghanistan. We keep this policy under review. Those who put their lives on the line for the UK will not be abandoned.
	Statements made by the former Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, the right hon. Member for South Shields (David Miliband), on 9 October 2007, Official Report, columns 27-28WS, and 30 October 2007, Official Report, columns 30-33WS, set out the policy of the Government towards their locally employed staff in Iraq. These schemes (known as “Gateway” or “Direct Entry”) allowed both serving and former staff in Iraq to apply for an assistance package, one option of which allowed staff who qualified under the terms of the scheme to relocate to the UK. These schemes are now closed. A statement from the former Secretary of State on 23 March 2009, Official Report, columns 4-6WS, and a statement by the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), on 16 September 2010, Official Report, columns 57-58WS, gave further details.
	Of those employees who chose the option of relocating to the UK, 293 (760 including dependants) have settled in the UK to date. A further 78 people (407 including dependants) have extant applications to relocate that are being considered. The Iraq scheme applied to all local staff including interpreters.

Belarus: Human Rights

Stephen Phillips: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps his Department is taking to encourage respect for human rights in Belarus.

David Lidington: The UK continues to be at the forefront of efforts within the EU and the wider international community to maintain political pressure on the Belarusian authorities, and to urge them to adhere to their human rights obligations.
	We strongly support the EU position of not re-engaging fully with Belarus until the authorities commit to real reform. We have been working with EU partners to strengthen sanctions against the regime and its backers in an effort to promote positive developments. We believe these efforts have had some effect, as the regime has now released all but seven of over 40 political prisoners.
	To sustain pressure, the EU Foreign Affairs Council agreed, on 10 October, to renew sanctions until 31 October 2012, as well as adding 16 new names to the travel ban and assets freeze list.
	We have continued to maintain pressure in other ways as well. I released statements on 6 August and 28 September to call for all political prisoners to be released and rehabilitated immediately, and to call on the Belarusian authorities to respect their international obligations concerning the treatment of prisoners. In a statement at the UN Human Rights Council on 21 September, the UK called for Belarus to end politically motivated harassment and intimidation, conduct a thorough and credible investigation into the allegations of degrading treatment against prisoners and establish a formal moratorium on executions.
	The Department co-ordinated a joint letter by 10 EU Ministers of Justice sent in August to their Belarusian counterparts to protest about pressure on lawyers defending political prisoners.
	At the Eastern Partnership Summit in Warsaw on 29-30 September, we supported the strong EU statement on Belarus. In the margins of the Summit, the Deputy Prime Minister and I met Belarusian opposition figures and human rights defenders.
	Our embassy has remained active in Belarus too, observing protest demonstrations as well as several trials in relation to the violent aftermath of the 19 December presidential election, including those of several ex-presidential candidates. It uses all appropriate opportunities to raise human rights issues with Government officials.

Capital Punishment

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to encourage (a) the United States and (b) member states of the Commonwealth to abolish the death penalty.

Henry Bellingham: It is the longstanding policy of the UK to oppose the death penalty in all circumstances as a matter of principle.
	In the US retention of the death penalty is decided at state level and we are therefore working to achieve abolition on a state by state basis. We regularly raise individual cases of those facing the death penalty where minimum standards on the use of the death penalty have not been met. In the majority of cases we do this in concert with the EU in order to have greater impact.
	We regularly raise the abolition of the death penalty with governments of Commonwealth member states at both official and ministerial level. We have also raised the death penalty through the UN Universal Periodic Review process. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is funding project work in Commonwealth countries in the Caribbean and Africa to restrict the use of the death penalty, and as a result of one project the mandatory death penalty for felony murder was ruled unconstitutional in Trinidad and Tobago in June 2011.

Climate Change: Conferences

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he has discussed the UN Climate Change Conference in Durban with the (a) US, (b) German, (c) Chinese and (d) Indian Governments.

Henry Bellingham: The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague) has regular discussions with foreign governments on the challenge that climate change poses to our prosperity and security; the importance of taking robust global action to tackle it; and the need to make progress on this agenda in Durban. He most recently discussed climate change with foreign counterparts during the visit of his Chinese opposite number during the latter's visit to London in September.

Procurement

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many contracts his Department has awarded directly to third sector organisations in each month since May 2010; what the value was of such contracts; and if he will make a statement.

David Lidington: We do not record the classification of our suppliers in terms of their voluntary or charitable status.

Procurement

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many contracts his Department has awarded directly to (a) small, (b) medium-sized and (c) large businesses in each month since May 2010; what the value was of such contracts; and if he will make a statement.

David Lidington: For the financial year 2010-11, of the businesses that we are able to classify, £71 million was paid to small or micro enterprises, £24.7 million was paid to medium-sized enterprises and the balance of £173 million was paid to large enterprises. No information is available on the number of contracts.

Procurement

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many contracts his Department has advertised on the Contracts Finder website in each month since May 2010; what the value was of such contracts; what proportion were awarded to (a) third sector organisations and (b) small businesses; and if he will make a statement.

David Lidington: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has not yet advertised any contracts on Contracts Finder. FCO procurement is largely devolved to a network of over 260 posts overseas. We are continuing to examine how the centralised procedure through Contracts Finder can interface with this devolved international structure.

Cyber-Security

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps his Department is taking to improve cyber-security in relation to his Department's estate; and if he will make a statement.

David Lidington: The Government take cyber-security very seriously and it has been categorised as a tier one threat to UK national security. An additional £650 million is being invested over the next four years in a National Cyber Security Programme, working across Departments, with the private sector, international partners and citizens to improve the UK's cyber security capability.
	The Foreign and Commonwealth Office routinely assesses the prevailing threats to its Information, Communication Technology systems and applies appropriate and proportionate measures in accordance with the government standards set out in the Cabinet Office's Security Policy Framework (SPF). These standards are aligned with industry best practice approaches.
	It is not in the interest of national security to make public details of particular improvements in relation to individual Departments as it may expose vulnerabilities to those who may seek to exploit them.

Domestic Service

Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of changes to the rights of migrant domestic workers in circumstances where individuals flee a trafficker or abusive employer; and if he will make a statement.

Damian Green: I have been asked to reply.
	The rights of overseas domestic workers in private households are discussed in proposals to end the domestic workers visa in the Government's consultation document “Employment-Related Settlement, Tier 5 and Overseas Domestic Workers”.
	The consultation document set out a number of proposals for reform, which include making protections more appropriate, should the route be retained. We are currently considering the responses that have been received.

Economic Situation

Douglas Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the economic benefits which have accrued to the UK as a result of his strategy to make his Department more commercially focussed since June 2010.

William Hague: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has yet to make an assessment of the economic benefits of its commercial diplomacy activities. It plans to do so one year on from the launch of the FCO Charter for Business in May next year.

Eurobonds

Stephen Phillips: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the implementation of any proposal by the European Commission to issue Eurobonds would require (a) a new treaty and (b) amendments to existing EU treaties.

Mark Hoban: I have been asked to reply.
	Any legal implications would depend on the precise design of any proposals for the issuance of “Eurobonds”. There have, at present, been no formal proposals from the European Commission.

European Union Act 2011

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to his written ministerial statement of 13 October 2011, Official Report, column 42WS, on European Union Act 2011, when he proposes to introduce the Bill required to give effect to this decision.

David Lidington: The target coming into force date agreed at the time the Decision was adopted by the European Council was 1 January 2013. Mindful of that target date, we will introduce the necessary legislation to give effect to this decision as soon as practicable.

Foreign Investment

Dominic Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs with which countries the Government has held negotiations on bilateral investment treaties since May 2010; and with which countries such negotiations are ongoing.

Mark Prisk: holding answer 17 October 2011
	I have been asked to reply.
	The UK has not held negotiations on bilateral investment treaties with any countries since before May 2010.
	Competence for Foreign Direct Investment passed to the European Union in 2009.

GCHQ: Location

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 13 July 2011, Official Report, column 382W, on GCHQ: location, if he will give a breakdown of the £308 million costs of technical transition.

David Lidington: The £308 million technical transition funding covered those aspects involved in moving to the new building, which were not part of the Unitary Payment under the Private Finance Initiative contract. The money was used to fund technical aspects of the move, such as the consolidation and movement of technical systems, the provision of new network infrastructure, a consolidated desktop and fit out of computer halls and labs.

Iceland: Whales

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what representations he has made to the Government of Iceland on the International Agreements on Whaling;
	(2)  what representations he has made to the Government of Iceland on its trade with Japan in whale meat and whale fins.

Richard Benyon: I have been asked to reply.
	The UK takes every appropriate opportunity to raise our opposition to Iceland's commercial whaling and its international trade in whale meat, most recently at the annual meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) in July.
	The UK Government will continue to argue that trade in fin whale meat undermines the credibility of the IWC as an effective organisation for the conservation of whale populations worldwide.
	We have also made clear that for Iceland to join the EU, the UK believes it must accept that its whaling operations are incompatible with membership. All cetaceans (whales, dolphins and porpoises) are fully protected in European Union waters and we would expect any country applying to join the EU to abide by its laws. We will continue to work with other member states to ensure the effective protection and conservation of whales.

Indigenous Peoples: Treaties

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had on ratification by the UK of (a) the Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention 1989 and (b) the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples; and if he will make a statement.

Jeremy Browne: The Government are fully committed to promoting and protecting human rights for all individuals, including indigenous people, without discrimination on any grounds. We continue to work overseas and through the UN to improve the situation of indigenous people around the world.
	ILO Convention 169 sets out a framework for how governments should act with regard to indigenous and tribal people within their own territories. To date the UK has not ratified the convention as we do not consider that the UK or its overseas territories have any indigenous people to whom it would apply. We are also of the view that the convention does not apply extra-territorially. For these reasons, we would not be able to give effect to the convention. However, following discussions with Survival International, a non-government organisation working to raise the profile of the situation facing many indigenous communities around the world, I have asked officials to look again in detail at our position to reassure ourselves that it is the right one.
	In September 2007 the UN General Assembly adopted the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The declaration outlaws discrimination against indigenous peoples and promotes their full and effective participation in all matters that concern them. It also ensures their right to remain distinct and to pursue their own priorities in economic, social and cultural development. The declaration is not legally binding and cannot therefore be ratified by Governments. The UK supported its adoption in 2007 and welcomes the growing support for the declaration, including from countries with significant indigenous populations.

Public Sector

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to put in place a right to provide for public sector workers to take over the running of services; and if he will make a statement.

David Lidington: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office supports this policy. It has not identified any opportunities within its own operations, but will continue to discuss the subject with the Cabinet Office.

Roads: Accidents

Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many repatriations following injury of British citizens took place as a result of road accidents in (a) 2007, (b) 2008, (c) 2009, (d) 2010 and (e) 2011 to date, by country; and what the total cost to the public purse was of such repatriations in each such year by country.

Henry Bellingham: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has an electronic database used to record our individual consular case handling. However, the database does not capture the specific statistics requested.

Thailand: Roads

Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions (a) Ministers and (b) officials of his Department have had with the Government of Thailand on road safety; and what assessment his Department has made of road safety in that country.

Henry Bellingham: Our ambassador to Thailand raised road safety with the new Thai Transport Minister ACM Sukumpol on 28 September. Consular officials in Thailand regularly raise this issue in meetings with the relevant Thai authorities. Our travel advice
	http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travel-and-living-abroad/travel-advice-by-country/asia-oceania/thailand
	highlights the risks of road travel in Thailand.

Tourism

Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information his Department holds on the age profile of UK tourists visiting foreign countries by country visited in each of the last five years.

Henry Bellingham: While the Foreign and Commonwealth Office does have a facility for British nationals to register their overseas travel plans, registration is entirely voluntary. We are therefore unable to provide the statistics and profile of travellers requested.

Tzipi Livni

Julian Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what date it was agreed that the recent visit of Tzipi Livni should be given special mission status; and on what grounds the decision was made.

Alistair Burt: In relation to the visit to the UK by the Leader of the Opposition of Israel, Mrs Livni, on 5-6 October 2011, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend, the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), agreed on 27 September 2011 that she should visit the UK in order to discuss matters of mutual interest in relations between Israel and the UK. Detailed arrangements for the visit were then agreed between the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and the embassy of Israel.
	In FCO practice, there are no prescribed formalities for consenting to a special mission, but such consent may be inferred from the circumstances of any given visit. The decision for special mission status for each visit is treated on its own merits.

Uganda: Children

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Ugandan Government on reports of ritual child sacrifice in Uganda; and if he will make a statement.

Henry Bellingham: I am appalled by the ongoing practice of child sacrifice, and other forms of ritual murder in Uganda and around the world, as highlighted by the Jubilee Campaign.
	The Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Department for International Development (DFID) will continue to monitor the effectiveness of the Government of Uganda's measures to combat this appalling practice. This includes, as well as the normal criminal investigation and prosecution processes, the establishment of a ministerial task force, the setting up of child and family protection units in the police force, and by the end of this year the establishment of a national plan of action on child sacrifice.
	Furthermore, the DFID office in Uganda has supported child protection work in Uganda through UN Children's Fund, who focus on child sacrifice as part of their broader work. We are also engaged with local non-governmental organisations who are working to raise awareness of this problem and who are campaigning for tighter regulation of so-called “traditional healers” in the country.

PRIME MINISTER

Climate Change: International Co-operation

Luciana Berger: To ask the Prime Minister when he has discussed the UN Climate Change Conference in Durban with his (a) US, (b) German, (c) Chinese and (d) Indian counterpart.

David Cameron: I have regular discussions with my US, German, Chinese and Indian counterparts on a variety of subjects.

Ministerial Meetings

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Prime Minister how many meetings he has had with representatives of (a) social enterprises, (b) charities, (c) large private sector businesses and (d) small and medium-sized private sector businesses since May 2010; and if he will make a statement.

David Cameron: I regularly meet representatives of social enterprises, charities, large private sector businesses and small and medium-sized private sector businesses, including on visits around the country, and at receptions and meetings hosted at Number 10. For further information I refer the hon. Member to the Number 10 website, which often gives further information about my visits, to the lists of meetings with external organisations which is published at least quarterly, and the list of receptions hosted at Number 10. These are available on the Cabinet Office website:
	http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/resource-library/ministerial-gifts-hospitality-travel-and-meetings-external-organisations

G20

Laura Sandys: To ask the Prime Minister 
	(1)  if he will recommend plans to address the vulnerability of the international food system in his forthcoming global governance report to the G20;
	(2)  what the remit is of his global governance role within the G20;
	(3)  if he will publish minutes of the meeting he held in September 2011 with trade experts to inform his report on global governance for the G20.

David Cameron: I will present a written report on global governance at this year's G20 summit in November.
	I have discussed the report with other leaders. Officials have arranged a number of seminars with academics, business associations and non-governmental organisations, including on trade. The issues raised at these events will be reflected in the final report. The report will emphasise the importance of existing international institutions working better together and more coherently in future, including with the private sector, to tackle global challenges such as international food security.

ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Off-grid Households

Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what progress he is making on ensuring that off-grid households have access to affordable heating fuels in the winter of 2011-12.

Charles Hendry: The Office of Fair Trading published its study into the off-grid energy market on Tuesday 18 October 2011, which found that action is needed to protect heating oil consumers in some areas.
	Ahead of next winter, the Department has been working with industry and consumer groups, in a national campaign, to encourage customers to order early and ensure they are well prepared for winter. We have also reminded terminal operators to ensure that they have sufficient salt to maintain access to their depots in the event of snow and ice over the coming winter.

Domestic Energy Prices

Albert Owen: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent discussions he has had with the six largest energy companies on recent trends in domestic energy prices; and if he will make a statement.

Charles Hendry: DECC Ministers and officials meet suppliers and others on a regular basis to discuss market issues. The Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, my right hon. Friend the Member for Eastleigh (Chris Huhne), chaired a consumer summit on Monday 17 October 2011 to launch the ‘check, switch, insulate to save' campaign and a package of measures to help consumers this winter. We are working with consumer groups, energy suppliers and the regulator Ofgem to ensure consumers know how to save money on their energy bills by checking on their energy deal, switching their supplier if appropriate and insulating their homes.

Energy Prices

Stephen Gilbert: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps he is taking to reduce prices for domestic energy consumers.

Nadine Dorries: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change What steps the Government are taking to minimise price increases for energy consumers.

Charles Hendry: I refer the hon. Members to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Bury North (Mr Nuttall) today.

Energy Market Competition

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what plans he has to encourage greater competition in the domestic energy market.

Charles Hendry: We are removing barriers to enable small suppliers to challenge the dominance of established suppliers.
	This includes measures to cut red tape for small energy suppliers and Ofgem's Retail Market Review proposals to reduce tariff complexity and increase liquidity in the wholesale electricity market.

Emissions: SMEs

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assistance his Department provides to small and medium-sized businesses to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.

Charles Hendry: There are a number of government policies which support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The Green Deal, for example, will be available to SMEs when it is launched next year. It will enable them to improve the energy efficiency of their properties, thereby reducing carbon emissions and energy costs. The Green Deal will also drive demand for energy efficiency products and services from which SMEs will be able to benefit.

Clair Ridge Oil Project

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change with reference to the Prime Minister's announcement of 13 October 2011, on the Clair Ridge oil project, what steps he is taking to ensure that apprenticeship opportunities for young people form part of the contract.

Charles Hendry: It would not be appropriate for the UK Government to seek to insert specific clauses into contracts. This work will give rise to significant opportunities to young workers and opportunities for businesses throughout the UK.
	BP continues to recruit and train numerous new recruits. This year more than 400 vacancies have been filled of which 75 were young graduates and apprentices. They are also strong supporters of the Industry Technician training scheme which takes on around 150 school leavers every year as apprentice technicians and puts them through a three-year training programme.
	At its peak the total investments of BP and its partners in these developments will support some 3,000 UK oil and gas supply chain jobs, and will help safeguard employment for BP's North sea work force of over 3,500 people.

Clair Ridge Oil Project

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change with reference to the Prime Minister's announcement of 13 October 2011, on the Clair Ridge oil project, what steps he plans to take to ensure that (a) firms and (b) workers from (i) the UK, (ii) the north-east and (iii) other English regions will be awarded work on the project.

Charles Hendry: The Clair Ridge projects represents some £4.5 billion of investment, of which 53% will come to the UK and will be divided among a spectrum of companies throughout the supply chain located in all parts of the country.
	It should be noted the BP overall investment plan which included the Devenick development had 72% UK content and Kinnoull with 92% spend in the UK. In particular modules for these are being fabricated in McNulty yard in South Shields, Methill, Invergordon and Wick in Scotland—i.e., a good spread throughout the UK.
	BP have also highlighted that around 50 UK registered companies have already won Clair Ridge contracts. They have also announced on 17 October that AMEC, a UK based company, has been awarded a £150 million contract for engineering on the Clair Ridge project.

Departmental Manpower

Jack Dromey: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer of 14 September 2011, Official Report, column 1251W, on departmental manpower, what was discussed at the meeting between his Department's officials and the practitioners' advisory group; and if he will publish the minutes of the meeting.

Charles Hendry: The meeting was convened by the practitioners' advisory group and, as such, DECC did not take minutes of the meeting.

Ministerial Meetings

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many meetings he has had with representatives of (a) social enterprises, (b) charities, (c) large private sector businesses and (d) small and medium-sized private sector businesses since May 2010; and if he will make a statement.

Gregory Barker: Details of meetings between DECC Ministers and external organisations are published, quarterly on the Department's website.

Energy Supply: Prices

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps his Department is taking to encourage energy companies to extend their offer of the Warm Home Discount to a greater number of eligible customers.

Gregory Barker: The overall spending target for the Warm Home Discount Scheme is set out in Schedule 1 of the Warm Home Discount Regulations 2011 (2011/1033) and is £1.1 billion over the four years of the scheme (2011-12 to 2014-15). This represents a significant increase in activity and funding on the 2008-10 voluntary agreement between the six major energy supply companies and Government which was worth £375 million over three years.
	2011-12 is the first year of the Warm Home Discount Scheme. Government are working with the energy suppliers to implement the scheme, and expects that around 2 million households will receive direct help this year. Over 600,000 of these will be pensioners in receipt of pension credit guarantee credit only, who will receive an automatic rebate on their electricity bill of £120 this winter. In addition, a Broader Group such as low income families and those with long term illnesses and disabilities may also receive this discount, with £3 million available for Broader Group expenditure in 2011-12. To ensure a smooth transition from the previous Voluntary Agreement, £140 million has been allocated for Legacy Spending in 2011-12, for suppliers to continue to provide discounted and social tariffs.
	The level of expenditure will increase with each scheme year. The Broader Group expenditure will rise to £47 million in 2012-13, as spending on legacy tariffs decreases, and £90 million in 2014-15. The numbers assisted automatically through the Core Group will also increase in future years as eligibility expands to include those on the savings element of pension credit. Expenditure increases from £97 million in 2011-12 to £l90 million in 2014-15.
	Electricity suppliers may provide other rebates or assistance to their customers, but any such expenditure cannot be counted as part of their funding for the Scheme.

Feed-in Tariffs

James Wharton: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what his policy is on the payment of a feed-in tariff for renewable energy equipment supported by grant funding and contracted for installation before but not installed by 1 October 2011.

Gregory Barker: The Feed-in Tariffs (Specified Maximum Capacity and Functions) Order 2011 provides that a grant made before 1 July 2011 towards an installation first commissioned before 1 October 2011 could be eligible for feed-in tariffs (FITs) and grant in combination providing it meets the requirements under de minimis regulations.
	Therefore, in instances where grant funding is received and the installation is contracted but not commissioned before 1 October 2011, the installation would not be eligible for FITs.

Fuels

Brian H Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether he has had recent discussions with the Chancellor of the Exchequer in respect of the effect of fuel duty on economic growth; and if he will make a statement.

Charles Hendry: DECC Ministers and officials meet regularly with their counterparts in HM Treasury and other Departments to discuss a range of issues. As has been the case with successive administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings.

Government Procurement Card

Charlie Elphicke: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the (a) date of purchase, (b) amount, (c) supplier and (d) level 3 or enhanced transaction entry was of each transaction undertaken by his Department using the Government Procurement Card from its creation to May 2010.

Gregory Barker: The full answer to this question could be provided only at disproportionate cost because of the large number of transactions that would need to be reviewed before publication and changes to the format in which data for past periods are held. I am able to provide details of transactions over £500 for the period from December 2009 to May 2010. These are too extensive to include in this response and will be deposited in the Libraries of the House.
	For the financial year 2011-12, the Government have decided to make public details of GPC transactions over £500. Data for the first quarter covering April to June 2011 are now available from the DECC website.

Government Procurement Card

Chris Kelly: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many Government Procurement Card transactions were made by his Department's officials withdrawing cash from automated teller machines from 2006-07 to 2009-10; at what cost; and on which dates.

Gregory Barker: The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) was created in October 2008. DECC's records of procurement card transactions prior to December 2009 were held on a mix of paper and electronic files. It would incur disproportionate cost to search these records. DECC holds central records of all procurement card transactions for the period December 2009 to March 2011, and of all transactions over £500 for the period 1 April 2011 to 30 June 2011. We have identified one cash withdrawal using a procurement card in December 2009. This was to cover Copenhagen cash expenses and to top up ministerial petty cash.
	DECC staff holding procurement cards can only use them for the purposes agreed when their cards were issued. Any other usage is unacceptable and may result in cards being withdrawn. On this basis, cash withdrawals are prohibited for the vast majority of cardholders

Green Deal Scheme

Caroline Nokes: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the role of installers in encouraging the uptake of the Green Deal by households; and if he will make a statement.

Gregory Barker: Approved installers will have a central role in driving demand for the Green Deal. Home improvements can be a key “trigger point” for installation of additional efficiency measures.

Liquefied Petroleum Gas

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps his Department plans to take in respect of the Office of Fair Trading report into the liquefied petroleum gas industry.

Charles Hendry: I refer to the written ministerial statement that I made on 18 October 2011, Official Report, column 58-59WS.
	It is for the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) to actively investigate markets that do not appear to be meeting the needs of consumers and to publish the results. The Competition Act 1998 and the Enterprise Act 2002 gives powers to the OFT to apply and enforce competition and consumer measures alongside the Competition Commission, Trading Standards Departments and others.
	In its market study of off-grid energy, the OFT has considered the initial impact of the Competition Commission's Orders on the supply of domestic bulk LPG. It concludes that the Orders appear to be facilitating an increase in the amount of switching between LPG suppliers and that they have been effective in stimulating entry and the expansion of smaller firms. However, it has some concerns over consumer protection issues and is engaging with suppliers to seek improvement in the clarity of contract terms and protection of consumers' cancellation and switching rights.

Natural Gas

Peter Lilley: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the prospects for shale gas in the UK; and if he will make a statement.

Charles Hendry: A British Geological Survey study in 2010 estimated that if UK shales were similar to those in the USA they could yield some 150 billion cubic metres of gas, equivalent to roughly two years' of UK demand.
	The BGS is currently undertaking more detailed work which will also take into account the recent drilling results of Cuadrilla in Lancashire.
	However, little drilling has taken place and commercial production of shale gas has not been proven, so it is not yet possible to make a reliable estimate of recoverable reserves.

Nuclear Installations

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change with reference to the report by HM Chief Inspector of Nuclear Installations, September 2011, on what date the most recent periodic safety reviews were conducted at each nuclear facility reviewed in the report; and if he will place in the Library a copy of each review.

Charles Hendry: Periodic Safety Reviews are published on the ONR's website at
	http://www.hse.gov.uk/nuclear/periodic-safety-review/index.htm
	The dates of the most recent Periodic Safety Reviews for each nuclear facility are set out in the following table:
	
		
			 Nuclear site Nuclear facility Date of PSR 
			 Ascot, Imperial College Consort Reactor Ascot, Imperial College Consort Reactor 2001 
			 Atomic Weapons Establishment Aldermaston 2010 
			  Burghfield 2006 
			 Berkeley Berkeley site 2009 
			 Bradwell Bradwell 2002 
			 Capenhurst URENCO 2008 
			 Chapelcross Chapelcross 2009 
			 Devonport Royal Dockyard, Plymouth Nuclear Utilities Building 2008 
			  15 Dock 2009 
			  Low level Refuelling facility 2011 
			 Devonshire Dock Complex, Barrow Devonshire Dock Complex, Barrow 2004 
			 Dounreay Prototype Fast Reactor 2008 
			  Fast Reactor Materials 2009 
			  Test Reactor 2011 
			 Dungeness Dungeness A 2006 
			  Dungeness B 2008 
			 GE Healthcare Cardiff and Amersham sites 2002 
			 Hartlepool Hartlepool 2009 
			 Harwell, Research sites restoration Ltd Harwell, Research sites restoration Ltd 2003 
			 Heysham Heysham 1 2009 
			  Heysham 2 2010 
			 Hinkley Point Hinkley Point A 2005 
			  Hinkley Point B 2007 
			 Hunterston Hunterston A 2010 
			  Hunterston B 2007 
			 Lillyhall Metals recycling facility Due 2019 
			 Low level waste (LLW) repository, Cumbria LLW repository, Cumbria 2006 
			 Oldbury Oldbury 2008 
			 Rolls Royce Marine Power Operations Ltd, Derby Manufacturing site 2002 
			  Neptune Reactor 2006 
			 Sellafield—Capenhurst Sellafield—Capenhurst 2007 
			 Sellafield Site Ion Exchange Effluent Plant 2000 
			  Fuel Handling Plant 2003 
			  Magnox Reprocessing Plant 2003 
			  Product Finishing and Storage 2003 
			  Storage Pond 4 2003 
			  Waste Vitrification Plant 2003 
			  Enhanced Actinide Removal Plant 2004 
			  Magnox Swarf Storage Silos 2004 
			  THORP Receipt and Storage 2004 
			  Pile Fuel Cladding Silo 2005 
			  Waste Packaging and Encapsulation Plant 2005 
			  Windscale Pile Reactor 2005 
			  First Generation Magnox 2006 
			  Calder Hall 2006 
			  Waste Encapsulation Plant 2006 
			  Encapsulation Product Store 2007 
			  Thermal Oxide Reprocessing Plant 2007 
			  Highly Active Liquor Evaporation and Storage 2010 
			  Pile Fuel Storage Pond 2010 
			  Produce Store 9 and Extension 2010 
			  Sellafield MOX Plant Due 2015 
			 Sizewell Sizewell A 2006 
			  Sizewell B 2005 
			 Transfyndd Transfyndd 2011 
			 Winfrith PRS assessment not carried out by agreement with ONR due to acceleration of de-commissioning — 
			 Wylfa Wylfa 2004

Nuclear Installations

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what evaluation work has been undertaken within the generic design assessment process for prospective new nuclear reactors on (a) control of reactivity, (b) post-trip cooling, (c) containment, (d) severe accident management and (e) spent fuel storage.

Charles Hendry: The Generic Design Assessment (GDA) is an independent review by the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) and the Environment Agency (the Regulators) to ensure that the proposed new nuclear reactor designs for the UK are safe and secure, and protect the environment. The regulators publish quarterly progress reports that summarise the progress made to assess and evaluate a comprehensive range of technical areas, including control of reactivity, post trip cooling, containment, severe accident management, and spent fuel storage. The latest quarterly report was published on the ONR website on 14 July 2011 and mentions, for the first time, the outstanding GDA issues, based on the completion of ONR's planned assessment. All the issues must be cleared to both regulators' satisfaction before ONR grants consent to start construction of reactor buildings at a nuclear licensed site.
	The regulators' assessment, described in the July progress report, excludes any findings from the review conducted by Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Nuclear Installations into the nuclear incident that took place in March 2011 at Fukushima, Japan. This is because the regulators' assessment was completed before this incident. The consequences of the Fukushima incident will be addressed through a separate GDA issue, to which the industry has yet to respond. It will also need clearing to the regulators' satisfaction as one of the suite of identified GDA issues.
	ONR's quarterly reports are available on
	www.hse.gov.uk/newreactors/quarterly-updates.htm

Nuclear Installations

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the implications for public safety of the potential for coincident damage to both a nuclear facility and an off-site technical support centre arising from a significant nuclear accident involving release of radiation.

Charles Hendry: The probability of coincident damage to both a nuclear facility and an off-site technical support centre is considered remote, given that there is considerable distance between the locations of the reactor sites and the support centres. However, the UK's nuclear emergency response arrangements, which consider the implications for public safety, are kept under review by the Department of Energy and Climate Change, with support from the Office for Nuclear Regulation and the multi-agency Nuclear Emergency Planning Liaison Group.
	The on-site nuclear emergency response at civil nuclear reactor sites (operational and being decommissioned) is supported by an off-site technical Central Emergency Support Centre. This is many miles away from the nearest sites it supports. In the very unlikely event of coincident damage, the site operators can call upon technical expertise from other locations including their unaffected nuclear sites.
	The on-site nuclear emergency response at Sellafield is also supported by an off-site technical centre and a number of remote alternative facilities.
	However, in the light of the lessons learned from the Fukushima incident, a programme to strengthen the current arrangements is being developed by DECC which will deliver tangible improvements over several years.

Nuclear Installations

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the training provided to nuclear plant operators in enabling them to handle multiple cause nuclear accidents.

Charles Hendry: Under the nuclear site licensing regime, licensed operators are legally required to have adequate arrangements in place to deal with a range of on-site accidents or emergencies. This includes the provision of appropriate and adequate training for site personnel. The Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR), which enforces the licensing regime, has produced guidance to assist in ensuring the adequacy of levels of competence and training provision among site staff to respond to a nuclear emergency.
	Emergency preparedness at nuclear licensed sites is regularly tested through a series of emergency exercises, which are assessed by ONR inspectors, with any lessons learnt communicated to the site operators so that they may be acted upon. The exercise scenarios frequently involve two or more causal events arising from simulated multiple failures, thereby ensuring training in preparedness for this at nuclear sites.
	In the light of the reports to the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, my right hon. Friend the Member for Eastleigh (Chris Huhne), by Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Nuclear Installations into the implications for the UK nuclear industry from the Fukushima incident in March, these arrangements are subject to review against the lessons learnt from the incident. The Chief Nuclear Inspector intends to report publicly in a year on progress against all the recommendations he has made.

Nuclear Installations

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps have been taken to enhance control room habitability at UK nuclear installations during severe accident conditions following the Fukushima nuclear accident.

Charles Hendry: The final report of Her Majesty's Chief Nuclear Inspector to the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, my right hon. Friend the Member for Eastleigh (Chris Huhne), on the implications for the UK nuclear industry of the Fukushima nuclear incident in March 2011, includes a recommendation that the industry should ensure that its physical structures and hardware for responding to a nuclear accident, including plant control rooms, on-site emergency control centres and off-site emergency centres are adequately protected should such an accident occur. This includes the need for enhancing control room habitability along with other measures. The Chief Nuclear Inspector expects the industry to report progress to him on this, and other recommendations, in June 2012 following which he intends to publish a further report setting out progress on the 38 areas where he concluded lessons can be learned in the UK from the Fukushima incident.

Renewable Energy

Graham Stringer: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for Chichester of 10 November 2009, Official Report, column 219W, on renewable energy, if he will estimate the likely annual morbidity arising from the emissions from each Megawatt of installed biomass capacity.

Gregory Barker: holding answer 13 October 2011
	The modelling of morbidity in relation to air emissions is the responsibility of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Renewables Obligation

Eric Ollerenshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change when he plans to announce his Department's Renewable Obligation Banding Review consultation.

Christopher Huhne: DECC has today launched a public consultation on the Renewables Obligation Banding Review. The consultation sets out the Government's proposals for banded support for large-scale renewable electricity generation under the Renewables Obligation for the period 2013-17. The consultation will last 12 weeks and closes on 12 January 2012. Details of the consultation are available on DECC's website at:
	www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/consultations/cons_ro_review/cons_ro-review.aspx
	The Government will issue a formal response and lay draft legislation before Parliament as soon as possible after the consultation ends. Subject to Parliamentary and State Aids approval, the new bands will come into effect on l April 2013 as planned (1 April 2014 for offshore wind).

USA

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change when he plans to publish the details of gifts, hospitality and expenses received by the Minister for Climate Change during his visit to the US in March 2011.

Gregory Barker: holding answer 18 October 2011
	I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave her on 26 April 2011, Official Report, column 58W. I received no gifts above the recordable threshold, nor did I claim any expenses.

Wind Power: Energy Supply

Stephen Barclay: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what funding his Department has provided for the development of onshore wind energy schemes in each of the last three years; and what funding for such purposes it plans to provide in each of the next three years.

Charles Hendry: holding answer 19 October 2011
	The renewables obligation (RO) is currently the Government's main mechanism for incentivising the deployment of large scale renewable electricity deployment. In the last three years for which figures are available, the number of renewables obligation certificates (ROCs) issued to onshore wind generation stations are given in the following table:
	
		
			  Number of ROCs 
			 2007-08 4,816,343 
			 2008-09 6,220,107 
			 2009-10 7,250,909 
		
	
	The RO is a market based subsidy and ROCs are tradable commodities which have no fixed price. The amount a supplier pays for a ROC is dependent on bilateral negotiations between supplier and generator. Ofgem publish details of the nominal value of a ROC each year. The nominal value represents the maximum worth of a ROC to a generator but is not necessarily the amount paid by a supplier. The nominal value of a ROC for each of the last three years is given in the following table:
	
		
			  Nominal ROC value (£) 
			 2007-08 52.95 
			 2008-09 54.37 
			 2009-10 52.36 
		
	
	The RO does not set funding targets for specific technologies. The number of ROCs onshore wind generators will receive over the next three years will depend on the number of MWh onshore wind stations generate which is dependent, among others, on station's load factors (which vary across the country). Support levels under the RO during the next banding period (2013-17) are currently under review and proposals have been published for consultation on the DECC website at:
	http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/consultations/cons_ro_review/cons_ro_review.aspx
	The Electricity-Market Reform (EMR) White Paper set out a new support scheme, Feed-in Tariffs with Contracts for Difference (FIT CfD), for all low carbon generation including renewable technologies. The Government intend to legislate for the key elements of the EMR package, including the FIT CfD, through primary legislation in the second session of this Parliament. We intend that this legislation will reach statute books by spring 2013 so that the first low-carbon projects can be supported under its provisions in 2014. These dates are subject to parliamentary time being available and the will of Parliament. Once the FIT CfD is in place new onshore wind generation (which is not eligible for the small scale feed-in tariff) will have a one-off choice between receiving support either under the FIT CfD or under the RO for projects accredited before April 2017
	Since 1 April 2010, feed-in tariffs (FITs) for small scale low carbon electricity generation have been available for onshore wind up to 5 MW. Details on expenditure for the first financial year of the scheme will be available later in the year. A comprehensive review of FITs is currently under way and will be published shortly for consultation.

EDUCATION

Children: Human Trafficking

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what provision his Department has made for education for child victims of human trafficking.

Tim Loughton: holding answer 17 October 2011
	Under section 11 of the Children Act 2004, local authorities have a statutory duty to ensure that they safeguard and promote the welfare of all children, regardless of their immigration status or nationality. Victims of child trafficking have the same entitlement to education as all other children of compulsory school age. Trafficked children are likely to require additional educational support to help them overcome any barriers to learning and assessment. Schools should consider the specific needs of all children who are newly arrived from overseas, taking account of their cultural, religious and linguistic backgrounds and of their prior learning experiences.
	Where a trafficked child becomes looked after, they will be entitled to the same services as all looked after children. They will be allocated a qualified social worker who will arrange for them to be placed in a care placement where they will be safeguarded. The social worker must assess the child's needs and draw up a care plan which will include plans for accommodation, educational support, and other services based on need (eg health services, which could include specialist treatment because of past experiences or pre-existing medical conditions).

Departmental Buildings

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what estimate he has made of the monetary value of the maintenance backlog on his Department's estate in each of the last five years; and what estimate he has made of the time required to complete such maintenance.

Tim Loughton: The Department for Education has both planned and reactive maintenance arrangements in place across its estate to ensure that the Department does not have a backlog of maintenance.
	The DFE estate is maintained to ensure that it fulfils its leasehold, statutory and sustainable operations obligations. DFE monitor supplier adherence to contractual obligations through active contract management and through Service Level Agreement and Key Performance Indicator reporting.

Departmental Buildings

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what (a) building and (b) refurbishment projects his Department plans in (i) 2011-12 and (ii) 2012-13; and what the cost of each such project will be.

Tim Loughton: The information requested is as follows:
	Building work 2011/ 12
	During the financial year 2011-12 the Department will undertake minor building fabric alterations within the existing DFE ‘family’ estate to support the set-up of the Department's executive agencies. This forms part of the Department's arm's length body reform programme, linking into the Department's estates' strategy.
	From an estates' strategy perspective the key driver is to successfully establish the agencies and to realise financial savings within the spending review period by reducing the number of properties occupied by the DFE family and by maximising the efficiency of those properties retained.
	The set-up of the Standards and Testing Agency cost £32,500 The Department has reduced the cost of the project by circa £100,000 by reusing furniture and fittings. The cost of setting up the other agencies is not yet known.
	Essential repairs
	The Department also needs to undertake essential repairs to the roof at its Darlington facility. The cost of this work is not yet known.
	Proposed work in 2012/ 13
	The Department does not currently have plans to undertake building and/or refurbishment work in the next financial year.

Departmental Fines

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many transport-related fines his Department and its predecessors have settled on behalf of its staff in each year since 2007; and at what cost.

Tim Loughton: The Department's Travel and Subsistence policy clearly states that it is entirely the responsibility of employees to pay any transport-related fines they occur on official business.
	There is no evidence held centrally to indicate that the Department has settled any transport-related fines on behalf of its staff since 2007. To provide absolute confirmation of this could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Procurement

Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what progress his Department has made in eliminating pre-qualification questionnaires for procurements with a value of under £100,000.

Tim Loughton: Guidance on eliminating pre-qualification questionnaires for procurements with a value of under £100,000 has been issued to all procurement staff in my Department and our ALBs. From the available records on procurement exercises I can say that, since the Cabinet Office announcement in February 2011, no procurement under £100,000 has used a pre-qualification questionnaire. We do not, however, maintain a central record of all contracting activity and cannot, therefore, confirm that PQQs have been eliminated for all contracts with a value below £100,000.

Procurement

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what contracts of a monetary value of (a) between £100,000 and £500,000, (b) between £500,000 and £1 million, (c) between £1 million and £5 million, (d) between £5 million and £10 million, (e) between £10 million and £50 million, (f) between £50 million and £100 million, (g) between £100 million and £500 million, (h) between £500 million and £1 billion, (i) between £1 billion and £5 billion and (j) over £5 billion his Department and its predecessors have entered into with private suppliers in each year since 1990.

Tim Loughton: To obtain the information on what contracts the Department and its predecessors have entered into with private suppliers in each year since 1990 and between the monetary values indicated, could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Further Education: Transport

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education pursuant to the answer of 20 July 2011, Official Report, column 1022W, on further education: transport, what assessment his Department has made of the local authority transport statements for young people aged between 16 to 18 years for 2011-12.

Tim Loughton: holding answer 13 October 2011
	The Department is undertaking an exercise to establish whether all local authorities have published transport policy statements as required by section 509AA of the Education Act 1996.

Government Procurement Card

Chris Kelly: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many Government Procurement Card transactions were made by his Department's officials withdrawing cash from automated teller machines from 2006-07 to 2009-10; at what cost; and on which dates.

Tim Loughton: Since November 2010, the Department's Government Procurement Card (GPC) scheme has been administered by the Department for Work and Pensions under the shared services umbrella. The previous scheme was a direct contractual arrangement between the Department for Education, its predecessors, and Barclaycard. This ran from 2002 to October 2010.
	The Department is only able to release data from April 2008 to June 2009, as detailed as follows. Information related to financial years 2006-07 and 2007-08 could be provided only at a cost above the disproportionate cost threshold of £800. Cash withdrawal has been prevented across all Department for Education Government Procurement Cards since June 2009. A full list of cash withdrawal transactions from April 2008 to June 2009 is presented as follows:
	Please note that some transactions were made by officials during official visits abroad.
	
		
			  £ 
			 15 April 2008 16.67 
			 18 April 2008 200.00 
			 21 April 2008 50.00 
			 28 May 2008 161.93 
			 4 June 2008 30.00 
			 12 June 2008 100.00 
			 22 June 2008 40.00 
			 30 June 2008 20.00 
			 31 July 2008 50.00 
			 28 August 2008 40.00 
			 26 September 2008 30.00 
			 28 September 2008 20.00 
			 28 September 2008 40.00 
			 29 September 2008 20.00 
			 3 November 2008 20.00 
			 7 November 2008 20.00 
		
	
	
		
			 7 November 2008 20.00 
			 10 November 2008 20.00 
			 18 November 2008 20.00 
			 21 November 2008 34.87 
			 17 February 2009 3.00 
			 17 February 2009 110.16 
			 23 March 2009 (1)3.00 
			 23 March 2009 110.16 
			 12 May 2009 (1)3.00 
			 21 May 2009 100.00 
			 21 May 2009 918.21 
			 15 June 2009 27.55 
			 15 June 2009 (1)7.50 
			 15 June 2009 (1)7.50 
			 15 June 2009 (1)7.50 
			 15 June 2009 (1)7.50 
			 15 June 2009 250.00 
			 15 June 2009 250.00 
			 15 June 2009 250.00 
			 15 June 2009 250.00 
			 Total 3,258.55 
			 (1 )Cash handling fee

Students: Transport

Pat Glass: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether he expects to review the effectiveness of arrangements for home to school and college transport in 2011-12; and if so, when he expects to publish the outcomes of any such review.

Tim Loughton: A working group drawn from local authority and diocesan experts on transport, education and procurement has been identifying and collecting good practice in the key areas of procurement, planning and provision of home to school transport. I am expecting a draft report from that group shortly and will look to publish its findings after I have considered them. It is for individual local authorities to review their current arrangements since they are best placed to make transport provisions based on local circumstances and issues ensuring best value for money.

Youth Services: Redundancy

Lilian Greenwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many youth workers he expects to take redundancy in each local authority in 2011-12.

Tim Loughton: holding answer 18 October 2011
	The Department does not hold or collect information on the number of youth workers being made redundant by local authorities. It is the responsibility of local authorities to determine, in the light of their assessment of local needs and circumstances, how best to configure their services and the workforce required to deliver them.

TREASURY

Business: Finance

Damian Hinds: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the total amount of capital that has been made available to (a) individual or household-focused community development finance institutions (CDFIs), (b) business-focused CDFIs, (c) voluntary sector-focused CDFIs, (d) hybrid CDFIs and (e) any other category of CDFI or other institution through investments attracting Community Investment Tax Relief.

Mark Prisk: I have been asked to reply.
	The Government do not hold information on the breakdown of community investment tax relief (CITR) accredited community development finance institutions' (CDFI) wider portfolios and therefore cannot provide the information requested.
	However, no investments can be raised under CITR by CDFIs undertaking solely personal lending (investments attracting CITR must be onward lent to businesses, including social enterprises). CDFIs have reported raising around £83 million under CITR since the scheme began. We believe that approximately £13 million of this has been raised by CDFIs who lend to a wide range of businesses and £69 million by CDFIs specialising in lending to social enterprises.
	The Government announced in Budget 2011 their intention to continue the scheme and to this end that they would renotify CITR to the European Commission and consult in advance of renotification on how the scheme can be made more effective.

Child Benefit: Eligibility

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will reconsider the criteria for eligibility for child benefit.

David Gauke: As set out in the Spending Review 2010, the Government will withdraw child benefit from households with at least one higher rate taxpayer from January 2013. Further details of the changes to child benefit will be announced in due course.

Child Benefit: Eligibility

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the potential effects on families of planned changes to the eligibility for child benefit.

David Gauke: The Government have considered the impact of the withdrawal of child benefit from January 2013 from families containing at least one higher rate taxpayer. Around 1.5 million families will be affected by this change. Affected families are within the top 20% of the income distribution of all families (including those without children).

Food: Prices

Lindsay Roy: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he plans to raise the issue of food price volatility at the forthcoming G20 summit in Cannes.

Mark Hoban: holding answer 17 October 2011
	The Chancellor of the Exchequer, my right hon. Friend the Member for Tatton (Mr Osborne), has been, and will continue to be, actively involved in discussions with international and European counterparts in respect of price volatility in commodity markets.

Pensioners: British Nationals Abroad

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on the financial implications for his Department of a pensioner moving abroad.

Mark Hoban: The Government have no plans to change the current indexation arrangements for uprating UK state pensions paid overseas. The UK state pension is payable worldwide but is uprated outside the UK only when there is a legal requirement or a reciprocal agreement to do so.

Public Expenditure

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the potential effects of the outcome of the comprehensive spending review on service delivery by HM Revenue and Customs.

David Gauke: HMRC has published a Business Plan 2011-15 and a Change Plan setting out the actions required to meet its spending review commitments, which include improving customer experience, maximising revenue flows and making efficiency savings.
	The HMRC Change Programme will provide Treasury Ministers and senior officials with regular reports and assessments on progress and delivery.

Taxation: Scotland

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the compliance costs for business as a result of changes to (a) income tax and (b) other taxation arrangements proposed in the Scotland Bill.

David Gauke: For income tax, software providers have already made changes to payroll software so that employers could operate the existing Scottish Variable Rate (SVR) of income tax. This means that most existing payroll software already provides for a different rate to be operated. Additional compliance costs may arise if the Scottish Government seek processes that differ from the SVR, for example introducing a higher degree of transparency in payslips and end of year forms (e.g. P60). Other areas that may incur additional compliance costs relate to the treatment of certain tax reliefs.
	HMRC are considering these issues with stakeholders to inform the options for subsequent secondary legislation. Until these policies are determined, it is not possible to make estimates around any related compliance costs.
	Any additional compliance costs for business from other taxation arrangements in the Bill will depend on the final design of these tax arrangements by the Scottish Government. Therefore, it is not possible to make any estimates around compliance costs for the new taxes.
	This information was included in the Impact Assessment published alongside the Scotland Bill.

VAT: Imports

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions his Department has had with the European Commission on abolishing low value consignment relief.

David Gauke: The Government have been in contact with the European Commission to discuss its options to restrict Low Value Consignment Relief. I am now considering options for further changes to LVCR and hope to make announcements shortly.

VAT: Imports

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations his Department has received from (a) the authorities of Jersey and Guernsey and (b) businesses based in the Channel Islands regarding low value consignment relief in the last 12 months.

David Gauke: Treasury officials are in regular contact with the authorities in Jersey and Guernsey on various tax issues, including low value consignment relief. My officials have had a minimal number of representations from businesses based in the Islands in the last 12 months.

JUSTICE

Civil Disorder

Paul Maynard: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many and what proportion of under-18- year olds arrested for public disorder offences were interviewed by police without either a lawyer or an appropriate adult present.

Nick Herbert: Information on the provision of appropriate adults and lawyers in police interviews of suspects is not reported to the Home Office.

Civil Disorder

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 15 September 2011, Official Report, column 1338W, on civil disorder, what the (a) circumstances were and (b) location was of each offence under section 1 of the Public Order Act 1986; whether each prosecution was successful; and what sentence was handed down where the offender was found guilty.

Crispin Blunt: Pursuant to the answer of 15 September 2011, Official Report, column 1338W, the total number of persons proceeded against, committed for trial and sentenced at magistrates court and found guilty, acquitted and sentenced at the Crown court for offences under section 1 of the Public Order Act 1986, by police force area from 2008 to 2010 (latest available) is provided in the table. Please note that only those police force areas where data have been reported are shown.
	The number of cases proceeded against at the magistrates court in a particular year may not be completed in the same year. Defendants may have been committed for trial to the Crown court and then found guilty in the following year. It is also possible that defendants are found guilty of a different offence to that for which they were originally proceeded against.
	Information held centrally by the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) on the Court Proceedings Database does not contain information about the circumstances behind each case beyond the description provided in the statute under which proceedings are brought. The circumstance and location of each offence is not recorded on the Court Proceedings Database.
	Court proceedings data for 2011 are planned for publication in the spring, 2012.
	
		
			 Persons proceeded against at magistrates courts and found guilty, by result or committed for trial at the Crown  c ourt, by result, for rioting under section 1 of the Public Order Act 1986, by Police Force Area (1) , 2008-10 (2,3,4) 
			  2008 (5) 2009 2010 
			 Magistrates courts    
			     
			 Greater Manchester    
			 Proceeded against 1 — — 
			 Found guilty 1 — — 
			 Community sentence 1 — — 
			     
			 Merseyside    
			 Proceeded against — 1 — 
			 Committed for trial at the Crown Court — 1 — 
			     
			 Metropolitan Police    
			 Proceeded against 1 13 — 
			 Found guilty 1 — — 
			 Committed for trial at the Crown Court — 13 — 
			 Community sentence 1 — — 
			     
			 West Midlands    
			 Proceeded against 13 — — 
			 Committed for trial at the Crown Court 13 — — 
			     
		
	
	
		
			 Crown Courts    
			     
			 Metropolitan Police    
			 Acquitted — — 1 
			     
			 West Midlands    
			 Found guilty 3 9 — 
			 Acquitted — 3 — 
			 Immediate custody 3 9 — 
			 (1) Only those police forces in England and Wales are shown where data have been reported. (2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. (3) The figures given in the table on court proceedings relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. (4) The number of defendants proceeded against in a particular year may exceed the number found guilty as the proceedings in the magistrates court took place in an earlier year and the defendants were found guilty at the Crown Court in the following year; or the defendants were found guilty of a different offence to that for which they were originally proceeded against. (5) Excludes data for Cardiff magistrates court for April, July and August 2008. Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services—Ministry of Justice

Civil Disorder

Harriet Harman: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  how many people have appeared before Camberwell Green magistrates court charged with an offence related to the public disorder of August 2011;
	(2)  what charges related to the public disorder of August 2011 were brought in cases heard at Camberwell Green magistrates court;
	(3)  what the age was of the (a) youngest and (b) oldest person who appeared before Camberwell Green magistrates court charged with an offence related to the public disorder of August 2011;
	(4)  what proportion of people who appeared before Camberwell Green magistrates court charged with an offence related to the public disorder of August 2011 were under 25 years.

Crispin Blunt: The available information required to answer this question is currently being collated. I will write to the right hon. and learned Lady as soon as it is available. A copy of this response will be placed in the House Library.

Courts: Fines

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much was imposed in fines in each (a) region of HM Courts and Tribunals Service and (b) local criminal justice board area in each of the last four years; and how much is outstanding in fines from each year in each such area.

Jonathan Djanogly: Information on how much was imposed and the amount outstanding in fines in each region of HM Courts and Tribunal Service and Local Criminal Justice Board area in the last four financial years is set out in the following tables:
	
		
			 Enforcement of financial penalties 
			 Region 
			 £ 
			  Financial year Imposed Outstanding balance 
			 London 2007-08 63,881,319 117,318,452 
			  2008-09 72,107,785 126,959,900 
			  2009-10 81,628,882 142,475,774 
			  2010-11 87,207,760 161,920,074 
			     
			 Midlands 2007-08 71,120,336 92,523,423 
			  2008-09 70,501,415 95,995,178 
			  2009-10 68,543,984 101,524,907 
			  2010-11 66,488,810 95,822,708 
			     
			 North East 2007-08 50,078,508 52,969,638 
			  2008-09 52,833,097 59,901,794 
			  2009-10 54,280,765 64,063,145 
			  2010-11 48,726,159 61,770,165 
			     
			 North West 2007-08 51,120,079 78,630,999 
			  2008-09 55,569,454 86,762,529 
			  2009-10 53,718,101 90,098,475 
			  2010-11 57,222,645 96,526,239 
			     
			 South East 2007-08 76,644,394 94,764,649 
			  2008-09 80,150,018 104,151,377 
			  2009-10 84,110,365 111,483,442 
			  2010-11 90,033,862 113,195,267 
			     
			 South West 2007-08 40,157,335 38,869,240 
			  2008-09 40,258,242 44,079,253 
			  2009-10 41,324,159 49,821,783 
			  2010-11 40,298,229 51,787,750 
			     
			 Wales 2007-08 23,567,911 25,554,167 
			  2008-09 21,701,627 27,040,593 
		
	
	
		
			  2009-10 23,054,337 29,007,777 
			  2010-11 23,149,430 28,537,092 
			 Notes: 1. Imposed: The total amount imposed plus net transfers. 2. Amount outstanding: The total debt owing and includes fines which are being collected by instalments and outstanding monies from previous months/years. 
		
	
	
		
			 Enforcement of financial penalties 
			 LCJB area 
			 £ 
			  Financial year Imposed Outstanding balance 
			 Avon and Somerset 2007-08 10,746,004 9,379,982 
			  2008-09 10,046,264 11,184,221 
			  2009-10 9,586,385 11,885,521 
			  2010-11 9,353,827 11,001,000 
			     
			 Bedfordshire 2007-08 3,716,219 2,929,160 
			  2008-09 4,041,563 3,488,383 
			  2009-10 4,512,392 3,818,893 
			  2010-11 3,881,369 3,700,364 
			     
			 Cambridgeshire 2007-08 5,257,762 5,471,185 
			  2008-09 4,563,054 4,582,639 
			  2009-10 4,968,180 4,807,179 
			  2010-11 4,977,240 5,180,891 
			     
			 Cheshire 2007-08 7,933,967 11,207,571 
			  2008-09 7,334,673 11,809,900 
			  2009-10 7,502,097 11,485,719 
			  2010-11 7,306,954 10,588,179 
			     
			 Cleveland 2007-08 3,780,148 5,886,347 
			  2008-09 3,615,467 5,606,269 
			  2009-10 3,868,689 5,174,134 
			  2010-11 3,656,406 4,821,668 
			     
			 Cumbria 2007-08 3,877,892 3,225,093 
			  2008-09 4,100,879 3,368,566 
			  2009-10 3,817,499 3,384,180 
			  2010-11 3,584,281 3,342,007 
			     
			 Derbyshire 2007-08 6,128,228 7,487,182 
			  2008-09 5,840,197 7,910,599 
			  2009-10 4,844,153 7,394,599 
			  2010-11 5,463,233 6,733,251 
			     
			 Devon and Cornwall 2007-08 9,956,166 6,356,276 
			  2008-09 7,759,109 6,407,447 
			  2009-10 7,770,868 7,118,202 
			  2010-11 8,475,666 7,844,225 
			     
			 Dorset 2007-08 3,759,611 4,878,557 
			  2008-09 4,627,389 5,679,185 
			  2009-10 4,888,527 6,306,732 
			  2010-11 4,330,937 6,782,800 
			 Durham 2007-08 3,217,879 2,748,457 
		
	
	
		
			  2008-09 3,542,418 3,379,032 
			  2009-10 3,192,452 3,595,330 
			  2010-11 3,034,343 3,616,796 
			     
			 Dyfed Powys 2007-08 3,055,546 3,324,554 
			  2008-09 3,538,439 3,955,288 
			  2009-10 3,270,439 4,325,342 
			  2010-11 3,188,132 4,301,985 
			     
			 Essex 2007-08 11,017,192 10,068,331 
			  2008-09 11,525,831 12,635,361 
			  2009-10 12,156,939 12,852,199 
			  2010-11 11,154,006 12,296,641 
			     
			 Gloucestershire 2007-08 2,772,484 3,609,646 
			  2008-09 2,517,262 3,595,701 
			  2009-10 2,904,006 3,651,902 
			  2010-11 2,628,523 3,463,203 
			     
			 Greater Manchester 2007-08 18,632,285 27,384,881 
			  2008-09 19,635,012 30,659,064 
			  2009-10 19,267,431 33,159,738 
			  2010-11 22,558,446 39,631,334 
			     
			 Gwent 2007-08 4,523,699 5,857,625 
			  2008-09 3,985,405 5,903,094 
			  2009-10 4,528,698 5,617,483 
			  2010-11 4,451,015 5,699,048 
			     
			 Hampshire and Isle of Wight 2007-08 8,564,753 10,933,502 
			  2008-09 9,951,872 12,127,133 
			  2009-10 11,191,949 15,118,051 
			  2010-11 10,973,867 16,426,330 
			     
			 Hertfordshire 2007-08 8,364,744 10,624,124 
			  2008-09 8,285,229 11,976,897 
			  2009-10 9,382,421 13,565,178 
			  2010-11 18,335,973 14,126,149 
			     
			 Humberside 2007-08 6,201,707 9,561,189 
			  2008-09 6,910,237 10,257,748 
			  2009-10 6,756,725 10,076,884 
			  2010-11 6,160,678 9,913,804 
			     
			 Kent 2007-08 11,484,589 17,645,077 
			  2008-09 12,546,283 19,402,260 
			  2009-10 11,461,258 20,522,744 
			  2010-11 11,688,667 21,333,868 
			     
			 Lancashire 2007-08 10,906,582 12,236,463 
			  2008-09 12,392,009 13,870,361 
			  2009-10 11,104,491 13,111,327 
			  2010-11 11,555,388 12,476,223 
			     
			 Leicestershire 2007-08 5,691,250 5,475,952 
			  2008-09 5,877,021 4,807,071 
		
	
	
		
			  2009-10 6,030,574 5,881,157 
			  2010-11 5,959,233 5,513,727 
			     
			 Lincolnshire 2007-08 4,191,695 5,754,706 
			  2008-09 5,096,991 6,309,425 
			  2009-10 4,823,958 5,957,325 
			  2010-11 4,201,748 4,955,945 
			     
			 London 2007-08 63,881,319 117,318,452 
			  2008-09 72,107,785 126,959,900 
			  2009-10 81,628,882 142,475,774 
			  2010-11 87,207,760 161,920,074 
			     
			 Merseyside 2007-08 9,769,352 24,576,991 
			  2008-09 12,106,880 27,054,637 
			  2009-10 12,026,583 28,957,511 
			  2010-11 12,217,575 30,488,496 
			     
			 Norfolk 2007-08 4,791,859 4,911,783 
			  2008-09 5,078,267 5,258,805 
			  2009-10 4,568,442 5,165,121 
			  2010-11 4,528,716 5,269,765 
			     
			 North Wales 2007-08 4,483,844 6,367,896 
			  2008-09 4,813,034 7,303,005 
			  2009-10 5,900,141 8,598,513 
			  2010-11 5,488,372 7,764,756 
			     
			 North Yorkshire 2007-08 4,323,495 3,214,673 
			  2008-09 4,371,260 3,797,705 
			  2009-10 4,219,649 4,117,398 
			  2010-11 3,219,324 3,805,409 
			     
			 Northamptonshire 2007-08 4,430,561 5,113,088 
			  2008-09 4,330,940 5,544,837 
			  2009-10 4,721,076 5,576,232 
			  2010-11 4,607,666 5,492,262 
			     
			 Northumbria 2007-08 9,720,095 11,460,962 
			  2008-09 10,463,694 13,835,201 
			  2009-10 10,568,454 14,761,027 
			  2010-11 9,070,628 14,511,908 
			     
			 Nottinghamshire 2007-08 6,838,997 4,501,937 
			  2008-09 6,654,544 4,855,449 
			  2009-10 6,382,228 5,539,840 
			  2010-11 7,889,334 5,932,418 
			     
			 South Wales 2007-08 11,504,822 10,004,092 
			  2008-09 9,364,748 9,879,206 
			  2009-10 9,355,059 10,466,440 
			  2010-11 10,021,911 10,771,303 
			     
			 South Yorkshire 2007-08 7,406,408 7,207,038 
			  2008-09 9,048,523 8,173,418 
			  2009-10 9,039,246 9,270,998 
		
	
	
		
			  2010-11 7,953,779 9,244,102 
			     
			 Staffordshire 2007-08 8,766,857 11,728,465 
			  2008-09 8,698,559 11,509,685 
			  2009-10 8,136,476 11,214,527 
			  2010-11 7,510,783 11,043,758 
			     
			 Suffolk 2007-08 4,227,603 2,648,849 
			  2008-09 6,053,635 4,224,885 
			  2009-10 5,555,237 4,728,312 
			  2010-11 4,414,587 4,846,578 
			     
			 Surrey 2007-08 6,366,071 5,273,909 
			  2008-09 6,137,960 5,696,496 
			  2009-10 6,189,029 6,125,559 
			  2010-11 6,079,000 6,640,419 
			     
			 Sussex 2007-08 8,562,023 12,726,870 
			  2008-09 8,098,108 13,939,448 
			  2009-10 10,433,954 15,390,751 
			  2010-11 10,068,614 15,761,108 
			     
			 Thames Valley 2007-08 12,856,332 22,465,362 
			  2008-09 13,820,088 22,946,204 
			  2009-10 14,882,513 24,507,506 
			  2010-11 14,905,690 24,039,486 
			     
			 Warwickshire 2007-08 2,875,249 3,221,730 
			  2008-09 2,786,476 3,006,384 
			  2009-10 3,330,822 3,279,018 
			  2010-11 4,348,581 3,200,486 
			     
			 West Mercia 2007-08 8,099,918 9,313,961 
			  2008-09 9,447,891 10,709,950 
			  2009-10 8,422,160 12,060,610 
			  2010-11 7,188,415 11,058,154 
			     
			 West Midlands 2007-08 24,097,581 39,926,402 
			  2008-09 21,768,797 41,341,778 
			  2009-10 21,852,536 44,621,598 
			  2010-11 19,319,817 41,892,706 
			     
			 West Yorkshire 2007-08 15,428,776 12,890,971 
			  2008-09 14,881,498 14,852,420 
			  2009-10 16,635,550 17,067,374 
			  2010-11 15,631,000 15,856,479 
			     
			 Wiltshire 2007-08 4,358,317 3,711,278 
			  2008-09 5,356,348 5,085,565 
			  2009-10 4,982,425 5,741,376 
			  2010-11 4,535,409 6,270,190 
			 Notes: 1. Imposed: The total amount imposed plus net transfers. 2. Amount outstanding: The total debt owing and includes fines which are being collected by instalments and outstanding monies from previous months/years.

Courts: Maintenance

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what recent estimate he has made of the cost of backlog maintenance of each court building in Wales.

Jonathan Djanogly: Draft backlog maintenance figures for the HM Courts and Tribunals Service estate for 2011 have been received from each region but have not yet been finalised. I will write to the right hon. Member when these become available.

Courts: Witnesses

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many cases were heard in each court in Wales between (a) January and March, (b) April and June and (c) July and September 2011; and on how many occasions in each court a witness failed to attend in each such period.

Jonathan Djanogly: Data on the number of cases completed in the Crown courts of Wales and on the number of completed criminal proceedings in the magistrates courts in Wales by Local Justice Area (LJA) for the first quarter (January to March 2011) and second quarter (April to June 2011) of 2011 can be found in tables 1 and 2.
	Information about the total number of witnesses failing to attend a trial in the magistrates courts and Crown court is not held centrally, as it is not recorded by court staff electronically as part of their routine daily administrative duties.
	However, information on the number criminal trials which were either ‘ineffective’ (does not commence on due date and is re-listed) or ‘cracked’ (did not commence on the due date and was not listed) due to non-attendance witnesses as the primary reason are centrally collected. Data on the number of ineffective or cracked trials in the Crown court due to the absence of a witness in Wales can also be found in table 1 and similar data for the magistrates court in Wales by LJA can be found in table 2 for the same time periods.
	Completed proceedings and data on cracked and ineffective trials in the magistrates courts are collected at LJA and as a result we are unable to separately identify cases completed at different magistrates courts.
	Data for the third quarter (July to September) are currently unavailable and will be published in January 2012.
	
		
			 Table 1. Number of cases disposed of and ineffective and cracked trials in the Crown courts of Wales, Q1 to Q2 2011 
			  Number of case disposals Ineffective or cracked trials due to non-attendance or withdrawal of witness as primary reason 
			 Court Q1 2011 Q2 2011 Q1 2011 Q2 2011 
			 Cardiff Crown court 957 943 10 13 
			 Merthyr Tydfil combined court centre 310 268 2 4 
			 Mold Crown court + Welshpool Crown court 168 251 0 2 
			 Swansea Crown court 345 290 2 2 
			 Caernarfon Crown court 116 189 1 0 
			 Carmarthen Crown court 132 90 0 1 
			 Haverfordwest Crown court 54 38 1 0 
			 Total 2,082 2,069 16 22 
			 Notes: 1. Disposals are total cases dealt with. 2. Reasons for ineffective or cracked trials are based on the primary reason stated, witness is absent or the “Prosecution end case: witness absent/withdrawn”, these cases represent those trials that did not go ahead due to no witness being present. Source: HM Courts and Tribunals Service CREST system 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 2. Number of completed proceedings of and ineffective and cracked trials in the magistrates courts for the local justice areas (LJAs) in Wales, Q1 to Q2 2011 
			 Local justice area (LJA) Number of completed criminal proceedings Ineffective trials due to lack of witness as primary reason 
			  Q1 2011 Q2 2011 Q1 2011 Q2 2011 
			 Wrexham Maelor 245 1090 13 10 
			 Flintshire 2,204 904 14 5 
			 Denbighshire 780 836 6 9 
			 Conwy 812 707 4 13 
			 Llanelli 875 961 2 3 
			 Ceredigion 339 289 2 1 
			 Carmarthen 687 414 0 0 
			 Dinefwr 353 408 0 0 
			 Gwent 5,290 5134 46 33 
			 Anglesey (Ynys Mòn) 489 377 5 5 
			 Gwynedd 960 718 5 3 
			 Cynon Valley 356 336 4 1 
			 Merthyr Tydfil 953 755 10 5 
			 Miskin 1,828 1352 21 17 
			 Newcastle and Ogmore 1,156 1216 7 14 
		
	
	
		
			 Cardiff 5,115 4801 57 42 
			 Vale of Glamorgan 925 795 10 5 
			 De Brycheiniog 296 254 2 2 
			 Radnorshire and North Brecknock 71 72 0 0 
			 Montgomeryshire 362 310 2 2 
			 Pembrokeshire 595 639 6 0 
			 Neath and Port Talbot 1,610 1314 11 5 
			 Swansea 2,104 1765 5 7 
			 Total 28,405 25,447 232 182 
			 Note: Reasons for ineffective or cracked trials are based on the primary reason stated, witness is absent or the “Prosecution end case: witness absent/withdrawn”, these cases represent those trials that did not go ahead due to no witness being present. Source: HM Courts and Tribunals Service CREST system Trials, HM Courts and Tribunals Service Performance Database (OPT)

Debt Collection

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much revenue his Department received from (a) summons for debt, (b) liability orders and (c) applications by councils for debt summonses in the last year for which figures are available; and if he will estimate the level of profit over costs arising from each activity.

Jonathan Djanogly: The revenue collected (net income) in the financial year 2010-11 for (a) summons for debt (in the civil county and High Court) was £253.0 million; and (b) liability orders (council and Child Support Agency) was £11.1 million of which £9.8 million relates to council tax liability orders.
	It is not possible to provide the revenue for debt summonses that related to applications issued by councils. These data are not currently captured separately on the case management system in the HMCTS county and High Courts. The revenue collected from councils issuing council tax liability orders (in the magistrates courts) is provided above under point (b).
	The HMCTS published accounts for 2010-11 identified that:
	(a) civil business achieved 99% full cost recovery with a £3.6 million shortfall of which £1.8 million (50%) related to debt summonses; and
	(b) magistrates civil business achieved 94% full cost recovery with a shortfall of £1.2 million.

Freedom of Information

Gregg McClymont: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps the Government is taking to ensure that the public interest test is applied appropriately to the handling of requests for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Jonathan Djanogly: Both the Ministry of Justice and the Information Commissioner’s Office provide guidance to public authorities on applying the public interest test under the Freedom of Information Act. That guidance can be found at:
	www.justice.gov.uk/guidance
	and
	http://www.ico.gov.uk/for_organisations/guidance_index
	respectively. It is open to requesters to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office if they consider that the public interest has been inappropriately applied in relation to a particular request.

Hillsborough Stadium

Steve Rotheram: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what discussions he has had with the Prime Minister since his appointment on the unredacted release of the Hillsborough Cabinet minutes.

Jonathan Djanogly: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Secretary of State for the Home Department, my right hon. Friend the Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May), on 13 October 2011, Official Report, column 506W.
	The Prime Minister and I agree on the need to provide full transparency about the Hillsborough disaster through full public disclosure. All the Cabinet Office papers have been shared with the Hillsborough Independent Panel and the Government are happy for all the papers to be released as soon the panel so decides, in consultation with the families. The Prime Minister and I expect them to be shared with the Hillsborough families first and then to the wider public.

Office of the Chief Coroner

Robert Flello: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the oral answer to the hon. Members for Luton South and for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland of 13 September 2011, Official Report, column 878, on Office of the Chief Coroner, which of the provisions in the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 the Government does not propose to bring into effect.

Jonathan Djanogly: The Government are committed to urgent reform of the coroner system and therefore intend to implement the vast majority of part 1 of the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 (the ‘2009 Act’) as soon as practicably possible once the Chief Coroner's functions have been transferred via the Public Bodies Bill.
	The Government have announced previously that sections 17, 36, 38, 39, 40 and 51 will not be implemented. However, where possible we will seek to achieve the objectives of some of these provisions by other means. For example, instead of implementing section 17 we will continue to publish quarterly statistics for inquests into the death of service personnel overseas and will implement training provisions under section 37 of the 2009 Act.
	The Government are continuing to consider the feasibility of a single Coroner for Treasure and to assess the extent to which measures on treasure in the 2009 Act may be implemented within budgetary constraints.

Prisons: Education

Chris Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what his most recent assessment is of education provision in prisons.

Crispin Blunt: The MOJ and BIS commenced a review of offender learning in England in the summer of 2010. The outcome of the review was published in May 2011 under the title “Making Prisons Work: Skills for Rehabilitation”, which is available via:
	http://www.bis.gov.uk/assets/biscore/further-education-skills/docs/m/11-828-making-prisons-work-skills-for-rehabilitation
	Copies have been placed in the House of Commons Library.
	In Wales responsibility for education in prisons was devolved to the Welsh Government in April 2009. In 2010-11 the National Offender Management Service commissioned an in-house needs assessment and gap analysis of the learning and skills provision in public prisons in Wales. This was to ensure delivery and resources meet the learning requirements of the population to improve their employability outcomes.

Reoffenders

Chris Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people released from prison after serving a 12-month sentence or less were convicted of an offence within 12 months of their release in the last two years for which figures are available.

Crispin Blunt: The following table shows the number of people released from prison after serving a sentence of less than 12 months who were convicted of an offence within 12 months of their release. The numbers and re-conviction rates are based on releases in the first quarter of 2008 and of 2009.
	A re-conviction is defined as any offence committed in the one-year follow up period proven by a court conviction in that period or a further six month waiting period.
	
		
			  Number of offenders Number re-convicted Re-conviction rate (percentage) 
			 2008 Q1 10,251 6,262 61.1 
			 2009 Q1 9,924 5,892 59.4 
		
	
	These re-conviction rates can be found in Table A5 of ‘Adult re-convictions: results from the 2009 cohort' on the Ministry of Justice website:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/reoffendingofadults.htm

NORTHERN IRELAND

Government Procurement Card

Chris Kelly: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many Government Procurement Card transactions were made by his Department's officials withdrawing cash from automated teller machines from 2006-07 to 2009-10; at what cost; and on which dates.

Owen Paterson: Comparable figures for the Department as it is now configured are not available before 12 April 2010 following the completion of devolution of policing and justice functions.

BUSINESS, INNOVATION AND SKILLS

Enterprise Zones

Alun Cairns: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many times (a) he and (b) his officials have met the Minister for Business, Enterprise, Technology and Science in the Welsh Government to discuss enterprise zones since his appointment.

Mark Prisk: HM Government set out in advance of the budget their commitment to working with the devolved Administrations in establishing enterprise zones if they so wish. The Government have made funding available in the budget to support enterprise zones in the devolved Administrations through the Barnett formula.
	While there have been no direct meetings between the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, my right hon. Friend the Member for Twickenham (Vince Cable) and the Minister for Business, Enterprise, Technology and Science in the Welsh Government to discuss enterprise zones, officials from the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills, Department of Communities and Local Government and HM Treasury have provided advice and support about establishing enterprise zones in Wales to officials from the Welsh Government's Department for Business, Enterprise, Technology and Science.
	BIS officials have passed to their Welsh Government colleagues information on the criteria for agreeing an enterprise zone and the procedures involved in setting up an enterprise zone. BIS officials routinely engage with their colleagues in the devolved Administrations regarding economic development policy. The discussion of enterprise zones at the Four Nations Forum in June 2011 provides a recent example of this collaboration.

Advertising Protection Agency

Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether his Department has held recent discussions with the Advertising Protection Agency; and what was discussed.

Edward Vaizey: I have been asked to reply.
	In answering this question, the reference to the Advertising Protection Agency has been taken to mean ‘The Advertising Protection Agency’ (TAPA) and not the ‘Advertising Standards Agency’ (ASA).
	As such, no recent discussions have been held.

Apprentices

Stephen Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what measures he has introduced to encourage large employers to recruit apprentices in 2011; how many apprentices have been recruited to such companies; and which companies have taken on apprentices as a result of such measures.

John Hayes: On 6 September 2011 I announced a package of new measures to make it easier for large employers who directly contract with the Skills Funding Agency to take on apprentices. Payments will be simplified, contracts streamlined, and a number of data returns and audit requirements eliminated.
	The National Apprenticeship Service (NAS) has employer service managers who provide account management services to large employers.
	Examples of some of the new contracts include:
	Nordic Pioneer Ltd
	Everest Home Improvements
	The Co-operative
	Kingswood Learning and Leisure
	Between August 2010 and April 2011 over 5,000 large employers (250-5,000 staff) took on a total of 30,000 apprentices, a 50% rise in starts in this category compared to the same period in 2009-10.

Bankruptcy

Steve Rotheram: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent steps his Department has taken to safeguard small and medium-sized enterprises from bankruptcy.

Mark Prisk: The Government have put in place a number of measures including:
	continuing funding for the Business Debtline for the next three years. The Debtline provides free, confidential and independent advice on how to deal with debt problems. The website can be found here:
	www.nationaldebtline.co.uk
	HMRC's Time To Pay service will continue to offer pay arrangements to viable businesses which are experiencing genuine but short term difficulties in paying their tax.
	transforming the advice and information available to small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)—for example on cash flow management, cutting costs and winning new customers—by supporting an increase in business-to-business mentoring and developing better, expert web-based advice 24/7 at:
	www.businesslink.gov.uk
	continuing to ensure viable SMEs can access finance. The Merlin agreement, co-ordinated by Government in February 2011, committed the banks to new lending capacity of £76 billion for UK SMEs in 2011. Government have also worked with banks to set up an appeals process for SMEs declined access to finance, as part of banks' commitments in the British Bankers Association taskforce. Government are also providing support to SMEs seeking to access finance through the Enterprise Finance Guarantee (EFG) and the sister scheme for exporters (exEFG).
	helping business manage cash flow. Central Government Departments now aim to pay 80% of undisputed invoices within five days; in August 2011 this Department paid 93.6% of its invoices within five days. We have also worked with the Institute of Credit Management to develop a series of Managing Cash Flow guides available at:
	http://www.creditmanagement.org.uk/bisguides.htm
	with nearly 250,000 downloads since December 2008. The Prompt Payment Code:
	http://www.promptpaymentcode.org.uk/
	seeks to identify payment exemplars across both the public and private sectors and signatories to the code are required to pay within agreed terms and to communicate effectively with suppliers.
	In addition, with respect to the terms of liquidation for SMEs, the Government will launch a consultation on increasing the petition debt levels for creditors. The petition debt level has not been increased since the Insolvency Act first came into force in 1986 and so remains at £750. To be able to threaten someone with bankruptcy for such a small amount is, we believe, disproportionate. The consultation will cover increasing the petition debt level in both personal and corporate cases, which would affect the terms for SMEs.

Banks

Steve Rotheram: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent discussions he has had with representatives of the banking industry on the role of relationship managers in bank branches.

Mark Prisk: I meet with representatives of the banking industry frequently to discuss a range of issues, including ensuring banks fulfil their commitments set out in the British Bankers Association (BBA) Taskforce, which includes actions to improve customer relationships and provide better information and promote understanding between banks and customers. Meetings take place both bilaterally and through fora such as the quarterly Small Business Economic Forum which I chair.

Boats: EU Action

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what position he plans to adopt at the Working Party on Technical Harmonisation on 25 October 2011 in Brussels in respect of the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on recreational craft and personal watercraft; and what estimate he has made of the potential cost to the UK of the proposed directive.

Mark Prisk: Officials from this Department and UK Permanent Representative will attend the meeting. They will express support for the broad aims and objectives of the proposal. They will welcome the work undertaken by the European Commission that has been done in identifying areas within the current recreational craft Directive that could be improved to provide greater clarity of the obligations imposed by the directive. This will help to reduce undue burdens placed on business (particularly small and medium-sized enterprises), and facilitate cross-border trade. The UK will address those features of the proposal itself that risk being unduly burdensome on the sector and UK operators. While an official impact assessment is still under preparation, one has been prepared by the European Commission that suggests that the advantage for the UK industry is expected to be of the order of £700,000 to £4,200,000 per annum.

Business Link

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what support he plans to make available for small and medium-sized businesses following the closure of Business Link.

Mark Prisk: From 25 November, individuals and businesses will be able to get better business information and advice on starting, improving and growing their business online at:
	www.businesslink.gov.uk
	As part of this package:
	Two new services will be launched on www.businesslink.gov.uk:
	“My New Business”—an enhanced service providing tailored support to take people through all the tasks needed to start their own business;
	“Growth and Improvement”—a new service for businesses looking to improve or grow, containing interactive tools to help businesses diagnose and solve business problems, a business support finder, video case studies, peer-to-peer networking and an online events directory.
	The Business Link helpline will be fully operational from 25 November and will support people who are unable to access the internet or have difficulty in doing so.
	www.Mentorsme.co.uk, Britain's first online mentoring portal, was launched on 4 July and provides a single point of access for those seeking mentoring and those seeking to be mentors. The portal enables businesses that are looking for advice on starting up, growing their companies or needing financial mentoring to connect with experienced business people who have the skills to support them. 56 organisations have signed up to the portal and we have over 10,000 mentors available across the UK.
	A new service, Business Coaching for Growth will be established across England from January 2012, providing high quality business coaching support for small and medium-sized firms with high growth potential to enable them to develop and implement growth plans. It will also fast-track them into finance, knowledge and other networks and to other services such as UK Trade and Investment.
	A streamlined Solutions for Business support portfolio was announced in March, targeted at activities where a Government lead is required, for example on supporting complex trade deals and challenging technology developments.
	On 14 October, we also announced details of the new £57 million contract to deliver the Manufacturing Advisory Service which works with manufacturers to identify and implement productivity and innovation improvements to improve their competitiveness. Starting in January, this will be a national service locally delivered and tailored to meet the needs of individual businesses and local economic circumstances. The new service will focus on helping SME manufacturers in England to develop advanced manufacturing capabilities and could help create an estimated £1.5 billion in economic growth, 23,000 jobs and safeguard 50,000 over three years.

Business: Advisory Services

Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many business mentors (a) had joined his Department's mentoring network and (b) were available to provide guidance to businesses through the mentoring network on (i) 3 July 2011 and (ii) the most recent date for which figures are available.

Mark Prisk: I refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave on 7 September 2011, Official Report, column reference 713W, and 8 September 2011, Official Report, column reference 796W, regarding information on the number of mentors available through the mentoring network and the publication of such information.
	Mentorsme.co.uk, Britain's first online mentoring gateway, was launched on 4 July 2011 and provides a single point of access for those seeking mentoring and those seeking to be mentors, covering the whole of the UK. We do not have data to answer how many business mentors were available to provide guidance to businesses prior to the launch of the mentoring portal.
	At launch, the portal included approximately 40 mentoring organisations, providing access to around 10,000 mentors and this number continues to grow. Applications from other mentoring organisations who wish to be listed on the portal are currently being screened and more organisations will be added in the coming months as they register interest, providing they meet certain minimum standards. I am determined to maintain the quality of the mentors available through this network and am not willing to compromise this in order to increase the numbers more quickly.
	The launch of the portal is an important first step on the road to making mentoring the norm for businesses, whether starting out or with ambitions to grow.
	We are now working with the British Banking Association (BBA) to develop mentorsme.co.uk and to encourage more experienced business people to become volunteer mentors.

Business: Regulation

Michael Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will publish the Beecroft report commissioned by his Department into reducing the burden of regulation on businesses.

Edward Davey: Adrian Beecroft has been asked to contribute his thoughts to Government to support the work on examining the burden of cross-government employment-related law. This is part of a wider consultation with stakeholders for the Red Tape Challenge. His views will feed into that process, and we do not plan to publish them.

Economic Growth: Olympic Games 2012

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the modelling of economic growth potential of the Olympic host boroughs contained in the report by Oxford Economics, “Six Host Boroughs Strategic Regeneration Framework-Economic Model”, published in November 2010.

Mark Prisk: The Department's economic analysts have seen the report from Oxford Economics and consider it a valuable contribution to strategic thinking and planning for the east London area. Officials from the Department have met with representatives from the host boroughs to discuss the report.

Economic Growth: Olympic Games 2012

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what representations he has (a) made to and (b) received from the Mayor of London on the economic growth of the Olympic host boroughs.

Mark Prisk: The Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, the right hon. Member for Twickenham (Vince Cable), has made no representations to the Mayor of London, nor received any, specifically on economic growth in the Olympic host boroughs.

Economic Growth: Olympic Games 2012

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what meetings he has had in the last 12 months on the economic growth of the Olympic host boroughs.

Mark Prisk: The Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, the right hon. Member for Twickenham (Vince Cable), has had no meetings in the last 12 months specifically on economic growth in the Olympic host boroughs. Officials from the Department have met with representatives from the Host Boroughs Unit to discuss economic growth and the Oxford Economics report published in November 2010.

Economic Growth: Olympic Games 2012

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps his Department is taking to support economic growth in the London borough of (a) Barking and Dagenham, (b) Greenwich, (c) Hackney, (d) Newham, (e) Tower Hamlets and (f) Waltham Forest.

Mark Prisk: Responsibility for promoting economic growth in London is largely devolved to the Mayor of London and the Greater London Authority (GLA) and its associated agencies, including the London Development Agency (LDA).
	Information supplied by the LDA—provisional, as it is based on forecast outturn for the current year—shows that current year spending on some 168 projects designed to promote economic growth in these boroughs totals £16,433,455, broken down as follows:
	
		
			 £ 
			 Barking and Dagenham 1,815,325 
			 Greenwich 1,702,647 
			 Hackney 1,727,708 
			 Newham 6,529,733 
			 Tower Hamlets 3,385,384 
			 Waltham Forest 1,272,159 
		
	
	In addition, these boroughs benefit from a share of £38.5 million spending this year on pan-London projects supported by the LDA/GLA as well as spending on local colleges and other providers by the Skills Funding Agency and National Apprenticeships Service; and businesses from Business Link and other investment which cannot readily be quantified at borough level.
	The designation of the Royal Docks in Newham as an Enterprise Zone is further evidence of the Government's support and encouragement for new investment and economic growth in the area, building on the very significant boost the Olympic and Paralympic Games investment in infrastructure, jobs and training is providing.

Education: English Language

Dominic Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what information his Department holds on the length of waiting lists for English for Speakers of Other Languages courses for (a) all those seeking to participate and (b) people granted refugee status.

John Hayes: holding answer 12 October 2011
	Data are not collected on the length of waiting lists for English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) courses.
	Information on participation on ESOL courses is published in a quarterly Statistical First Release (SFR). The latest SFR was published on 23 June 2011:
	http://www.thedataservice.org.uk/statistics/statisticalfirst release/sfr_current

Education: English Language

Geoffrey Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many and what proportion of learners who were in receipt of the fee remission for English for Speakers of Other Languages courses also receive active benefits in the Coventry local authority area in the latest period for which figures are available.

John Hayes: We do not directly record what type of benefits people are receiving when they take up training. We do, however, collect information on why a learner has received fee remission for a particular learning aim they undertake. From these data we can provide some information on claimants, but this should be used with caution given it does not provide an accurate picture of the full range of entitlements that a person has.
	In Coventry local education authority there were 3,240 English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) adult (19+) aims in 2009/10, the latest academic year for which final year data are available. (As learners can enrol on more than one aim, 2,310 learners participated in these aims.)
	Based on the “fees waived” field in the Individualised Learner Record, 2,850 aims were in receipt of fee remission. Of these, 1,700 (59%, based on unrounded figures) received fee remission as the learner was in receipt of an income-related benefit.
	The Government currently provide 50% fee remission for all learners in England participating on ESOL courses who are eligible for public funded skills provision. Those on income based-benefits are eligible for full fee remission. Further education colleges and training organisations also have local discretion to provide fully subsidised courses for people on a wider range of benefits where the training is to help them enter employment.
	From August 2011, where English language skills have been identified as a barrier to entering employment, full Government funding will be provided for ESOL to unemployed people in receipt of jobseekers allowance or in the employment and support allowance (Work-Related Activity) Group. We will also continue to pay 50% of ESOL course fees for people who are settled here. We will no longer fund ESOL courses delivered in the workplace.
	Further education (FE) colleges and training providers are responsible for meeting the needs of their local community, and increased freedoms and flexibilities that we have introduced will help them respond and determine within their funding where this is prioritised.

Employment: Exhibitions

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether his Department provided support to the World Skills 2011 event held at the Excel Arena on 5 to 8 October 2011.

John Hayes: Yes, alongside significant investment from the private sector. The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills is the Government sponsor of WorldSkills London 2011, and its legacy.
	The event, the largest international vocational skills competition in modern history, was a resounding success and the UK was ranked fifth out of 48 countries, surpassing our performance at the last WorldSkills competition in Calgary in 2009.

Further Education: Disability

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps his Department is taking to improve the provision and quality of advice on (a) personal budgets, (b) fees requirements and (c) benefit entitlements for students with disabilities or learning difficulties wishing to pursue further education; and if he will make a statement.

John Hayes: holding answer 18 October 2011
	Information, advice and guidance on careers and learning is available through the Next Step service. Individuals can seek advice on all forms of financial support for learning, and those with learning difficulties or disabilities are a priority for intensive, ongoing support.
	From April 2012, the new National Careers Service will replace Next Step. Providers of careers guidance in the National Careers Service will need to meet a rigorous national quality standard. On 12 October, I announced that this would be the revised matrix standard, which will require employers to demonstrate that they have set frameworks for employee development which recognise appropriate professional standards.
	The Government intend to publish a Participation Strategy later this year setting out the support available to help young people engaged with education, employment and training.

Further Education: Refugees

Dominic Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what information his Department holds on the number of people granted refugee status who were claiming full fee remission for English for Speakers of Other Languages courses prior to August 2011.

John Hayes: We do not directly record the number of learners who have been granted refugee status. We do, however, collect information on why a learner has received fee remission for a particular learning aim they undertake. From data we can provide information on learners who are in receipt of full fee remission through being an asylum seeker in receipt of the equivalent of an income-based state benefit, but this should be used with caution given that it does not provide a full picture of the range of entitlements that a person has.
	Based on the “fees waived” field in the Individualised Learner Record, in the 2009/10 academic year, the latest year for which final data are available, 7,200 English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) enrolments for adult (19+) learners received fee remission through being an asylum seeker in receipt of the equivalent of an income-based benefit.
	Information on participation on ESOL courses is published in a quarterly statistical first release (SFR). The latest SFR was published on 23 June 2011 at:
	http://www.thedataservice.org.uk/statistics/statisticalfirstrelease/sfr_current

Government Departments: Procurement

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the effect of reductions in central Government (a) capital expenditure and (b) procurement of goods on the level of manufacturing output in 2010.

Mark Prisk: Available data and evidence are not yet sufficient to enable BIS to undertake a reliable assessment of the impact on manufacturing output in 2010 at this time. The Government's top priority is to achieve strong, sustainable and balanced growth. Sound public finances are essential for sustainable growth. We are also taking action as set out in the Plan for Growth to create the best possible climate for enterprise and growth in the UK, including action to support advanced manufacturing by encouraging higher levels of innovation, exports, business investment and technical skills as well as cutting excessive red tape.

Higher Education: Birmingham

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many people in Birmingham, Ladywood constituency in each ethnic group (a) applied to enter university and (b) were successful in their application in each of the last five years.

David Willetts: The information is in the following table and has been provided by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS).
	
		
			 Applicants and accepted applicants domiciled in Birmingham Ladywood (1 ) constituency by ethnicity (2) 
			  2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 
			 Ethnic background Applicants Accepted Applicants Accepted Applicants Accepted Applicants Accepted Applicants Accepted 
			 Black, Asian, mixed and other ethnic backgrounds 808 582 892 646 982 728 1,107 779 1,281 613 
			 White 96 72 100 75 101 73 146 103 175 124 
			 Unknown 258 229 232 188 315 263 323 261 202 151 
		
	
	
		
			 Grand total 1,162 883 1,224 909 1,398 1,064 1,576 1,143 1,658 1,088 
			 (1) Birmingham Ladywood constituency has been identified using the home postcode regardless of declared area of permanent residence. 2. While completion of the ethnic origin field is mandatory for those with a declared area of permanent residence in the UK, applicants can indicate that they prefer not to say what their ethnic origin is. Data on the ethnic origin of applicants are not passed to institutions until after the selection process. Where the ethnic origin has not been detailed in this analysis this is recorded as “Unknown”.

Higher Education: Italy

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the outcome was of the recent meeting between the Minister of State for Universities and Science and the Italian Education Minister Gelmini regarding British lettori working in Italian universities.

David Willetts: holding answer 17 October 2011
	It is not the normal practice of the Government to disclose details of their discussions with foreign Governments.

Higher Education: Italy

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the outcome was of his meeting with the Italian Minister for Education, Universities and Research to discuss the position of foreign lecturers working at Italian universities.

David Willetts: It is not the normal practice of the Government to disclose details of their discussions with foreign Governments.

Iceland: Debts

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what advice his Department is providing to companies owed money by Icelandic financial institutions.

Mark Prisk: HM Treasury have taken the lead on this issue.
	Affected businesses are creditors in the administrations of the failed Icelandic banks. Further information, including contact details for the administrators, are available on the HM Treasury website:
	http://hm-treasury.gov.uk/fin_stability_icelandic_banks.htm

Manufacturing Industries

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will take steps to encourage growth in manufacturing output; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Prisk: Working with industry, this Government are taking action aimed at increasing growth in manufacturing output in the UK by encouraging higher levels of innovation, exports, business investment and technical skills as well as cutting excessive red tape. The Plan for Growth announced as part of Budget 2011 included a package of measures to stimulate the growth of engineering and advanced manufacturing, including changes to capital allowances, the launch of a High Value Manufacturing Technology and Innovation Centre (TIC) as well as nine new university-based research centres, funding for 10,000 additional higher apprenticeships, and action to promote the image of the sector.
	We are now making good progress on implementing these actions. For example, on 11 October a £140 million investment in the country's first TIC—focused on high value manufacturing—was announced. Between 10 and 21 October the second phase of the automotive pilot of See Inside Manufacturing was also launched. Over 40 world-class automotive manufacturers opened their doors allowing teachers, careers advisors and young people to see first hand some of the UK's world-class automotive and motorsport facilities and research centres to raise awareness of the diverse range of careers available. On 14 October, we also announced the new supplier for the reformed Manufacturing Advisory Service which will go live from January 2012 and includes an additional £7 million to deliver supply chain activities over the next three years.
	We will report on the progress of these and other Plan for Growth measures at the time of the autumn statement.

Manufacturing Industries: Finance

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps his Department is taking to encourage investment in the manufacturing industry in (a) England, (b) the West Midlands and (c) the Black Country.

Mark Prisk: Working with business, this Government are taking action to strengthen and grow modern manufacturing in the UK by encouraging higher levels of innovation, exports, business investment and technical skills as well as cutting excessive red tape. The Plan for Growth announced as part of Budget 2011 included a package of measures to stimulate the growth of engineering and advanced manufacturing, including changes to capital allowances, the launch of a High Value Manufacturing Technology and Innovation Centre as well as nine new university-based research centres, funding for 10,000 additional higher apprenticeships, and action to promote the image of the sector.
	In addition to these national actions, there are six local enterprise partnerships covering the West Midlands (including one covering the four Black Country local authorities). These business public sector partnerships are focused on supporting their local businesses through a range of measures which will encourage investment in manufacturing. These include Enterprise Zones (eg i54), local enterprise areas, and business support measures.

Research Councils: Public Appointments

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what criteria his Department uses to make appointments to the governing councils of the research councils.

David Willetts: The parameters of council membership are set out in a Council's Royal Charter. For six of the seven research councils their Royal Charter states that the council must consist of a Chair, a Chief Executive and Deputy Chair, and between 19 and 18 other members. Half of these must be appointed on account of their relevant academic qualifications. The Science and Technology Facilities Council's Royal Charter states that it must consist of a Chair, Chief Executive and from six to 10 other members, of whom no more than a third should be employed members of the council.
	The Royal Charters also state that the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills shall consult each research council Chair about the criteria for particular council member appointments when they arise.
	Within these parameters, and taking in to account the advice of the Chair on the required balance of expertise and experience on the council, the selection criteria for new appointments is agreed between the council and the Department. The recruitment process is conducted in accordance with the Code of Practice of the Commissioner for Public Appointments. Vacancies are then advertised for candidates meeting the criteria.

Research Councils: Public Appointments

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what remuneration his Department gives to people serving on the governing councils of the research councils; what expenses may be claimed by such members; and whether such expenses include travel and hotel accommodation.

David Willetts: Eligible council members of the UK's seven research councils are currently entitled to receive an honorarium of £6,850 per annum. Council members who chair boards are entitled to receive a total honorarium of £9,110 per annum. Council chairs are entitled to receive a total honorarium of £16,430 per annum. No honorarium is paid to civil servants or employees of organisations whose funds are derived from votes of Parliament.
	Reasonable expenses incurred in pursuit of council business can be claimed by council members. This includes travel and accommodation costs.

Students: Disability

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps he is taking to ensure that disabled students have the opportunity to live in university accommodation that is accessible; and if he will make a statement.

David Willetts: University accommodation is provided at the discretion of higher education institutions themselves, and is not funded by Government. The majority of institutions provide student accommodation either directly or through relationships with housing providers. Higher education institutions have duties under the Equality Act 2010 to support disabled students in higher education when applying to higher education and when studying. The legal duties apply to both educational and non-educational services, facilities and benefits including residential accommodation, where it is provided.
	The law establishes a framework of responsibility which higher education institutions must comply with and also promotes an anticipatory and proactive approach to supporting disabled students. Universities are required to make reasonable .adjustments for disabled students to ensure that they can fully participate in the education and enjoy the other benefits, facilities and services which are provided for students. Making reasonable adjustments applies to the provision of university accommodation (where that service is offered) and ensuring it is accessible. Universities are required to plan to meet the needs of disabled students, make the adjustments that may be required, and periodically review their policies and provision.
	The Equality Challenge Unit (ECU), the independent sector body which supports higher education institutions on equality matters, has developed two guidance documents with the Association for Student Residential Accommodation (ASRA) and other relevant higher education organisations to assist universities in establishing inclusive campuses. These include good practice on student accommodation and disabled students and are available on the ECU'S website:
	http://www.ecu.ac.uk/publications/student-accommodation-providers-handbook
	and
	http://www.ecu.ac.uk/publications/inclusive-campus
	The Government are committed to fair access to higher education for all with the talent, ability and potential to succeed.

Technology Strategy Board

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what regional representation there is on the Technology Strategy Board; and how often it meets outside Wiltshire.

David Willetts: Members of the governing board of the Technology Strategy Board are appointed only on the basis of their experience and knowledge of key technology areas and their ability to bring a personal perspective to the exploitation of science, technology and new ideas by business. Regional representation plays no role in their appointment, but the current board members are located from across the UK: London (three), Scotland (two), Winchester, Suffolk, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Sunbury-on-Thames, Cardiff, Guildford, Stockport and Portsmouth.
	The Technology Strategy Board has held 29 formal governing board meetings since it was established in July 2007 and of these 27 were held outside Wiltshire.